The Tale of the Lost Princess
by GoldenRose29
Summary: *Sequel to The Final Story* Now the Sofia and Hugo are married, they want a family. But they can't seem to get one, so they resort to adoption and bring a girl into their family. But as the child grows, they realize she is nothing like them. And when the child finds out she isn't who she thinks she is, what will happen to the kingdom as the Lost Princess journeys to find herself?
1. A Lie

Chapter One

A Lie

Sofia sat glumly in her window seat. The clear glass allowed her to look out at the lake where Hugo and she had practiced ice dancing all those years ago, though it was not frozen now since it was early autumn, when the leaves were just beginning to change color. Sofia's light blue nightgown fell over her pale skin and her brown hair was a mess of tangles and knots. Something was troubling her that much was clear.

Her husband, Hugo, moaned and turned over in their bed, a ways away from the window seat where Sofia was. His hand reached out, searching for his wife, but he only found rumpled blankets. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Hugo sat up and glanced around the room. It was rather large, with sets of doors leading to two separate walk-in-closets and many shelves holding Hugo's medals and trophies from tournaments and Sofia's trophies from her flying derby days as a child lined the walls. Marble columns were along the wall, holding up the white ceiling while ornate oak doors separated the room from the rest of the castle.

Hugo's dark eyes spotted his wife in the window seat and he got up, slowly walking over to her. They'd been married for nearly five years and his heart still beat faster whenever he saw her.

"Dear, what's wrong?" Hugo asked, taking a seat next to her. "I thought you liked to sleep in."

"I couldn't sleep," Sofia replied, her voice and blue eyes sad. "I just keep thinking of the letter we received from Ruby yesterday."

"Are you worried about her?" Hugo wondered. "I'm sure she'll be fine."

"I know she will. After all, this is her third pregnancy," Sofia sighed. "What I'm worried about is us. We've been married for five years and we still haven't had a child."

"Things happen when they're meant to," Hugo assured her. "You just need to have faith."

"You realize we're the only one of our friends who don't have a child yet?" Sofia exclaimed. "Amber and her husband, Sir Jason, have a son named Henry. Vivian's pregnant with her and Desmond's child. Jin and Khalid both have children with their wives and Zandar and Hildegard have their daughter, Nubia."

"Sofia, love, please calm down," Hugo said. "I promise you we will have a child. How could we not when you were meant to be a wonderful mother."

"I know. I'm just worried," Sofia admitted.

"Don't be," Hugo told her and pulled her to her feet. "Now, we have a lot to do today. After all, the King and Queen are always busy. Let's go to breakfast."

"Only if there's pancakes."

"How could there not be?"

And the young couple laughed as they went to their wardrobes to get dressed for their busy day.

* * *

"And you're completely sure?" Sofia asked the doctor. He was an old man with silver hair and deep wrinkles. Nancy, Sofia's personal maid with hair like gold and eyes as green as grass, stood next to the doctor. The three of them were in Sofia's room, the young woman lying down on her bed, propped up by pillows of many hues, as the doctor examined her.

"Yes, your majesty, I am sure," the doctor assured Sofia. She grinned, her happiness making her skin glow.

"I must find Hugo!" she declared and leapt off the edge of her bed. She raced out of her room, barely remembering to grab a dark violet robe to hide her sheer underclothes.

Then Sofia, barefoot and breathless, ran into the throne room. It was a large circular room with a round ceiling painted with stars. The two thrones of the King and Queen sat on a raised dais in the middle of the room, facing the large oak doors that the public entered through. Many copies of the Amalgamate flag hung on the wall. Hugo sat atop the golden throne with ice blue cushions, dealing with a small group of peasants. Everyone fell silent when she entered and stared at her. Sofia blushed, realizing her foolishness.

"Um, I wish to speak to my husband," Sofia declared, trying to sound like a ruler. Hugo, his expression confused, got off his throne and quickly walked over to her, pushing her out of the throne room and closing the door behind him.

"Sofia, what's wrong?" he asked. "I was in the middle of discussing the epidemic with some farmers."

"I'm sorry but I have something to tell and it can't wait," Sofia told him, giggling slightly, her smile wide.

"What?"

"I'm pregnant."

Silence. Hugo's eyes widened slightly and his hands slowly rose, his fingertips brushing Sofia's stomach.

"You're pregnant?" he repeated. She nodded, happy tears welling up her eyes. "We're going to be parents?" Sofia nodded again, her tears falling down her glowing cheeks. "That's amazing!"

And Hugo grabbed Sofia and swung her around in a circle, high up in the air. When Sofia's bare feet hit the cool marble he pressed his lips on hers, his own eyes damp with happiness.

"You're going to be a wonderful mother," Hugo whispered into her lips.

"And you will be a fantastic father," Sofia replied instantly.

"I love you."

And Sofia never got to say it back since Hugo's lips were on hers again.

* * *

"You're doing well, your majesty," the doctor told Sofia nine months later.

She was lying in her bed clutching her swollen stomach as she went into labor. Hugo was kneeling at her side, holding her hand, barely breathing. Nancy dabbed Sofia's forehead with a damp cloth, trying to keep her Queen cool, while the doctor sat at the end of the bed, helping things along.

"Just a few more moments," the doctor assured her.

"You're doing great," Hugo whispered. Sofia gave him a small smile before she continued pushing, screaming as she did so.

Moments later the doctor placed a newborn infant in a basket. Sofia was panting and Nancy was frantically dabbing away her sweat while Hugo smiled at her, proud of his wife.

"It's a girl," the doctor announced.

Tears fell from Sofia's eyes. She would've loved her child no matter what but she's secretly been hoping for a daughter so she may pass on the Amulet of Avalor that was safely stored in Amalgamate's jewel room.

"Doctor, what's wrong?" Nancy suddenly asked. She had heard something in the doctor's voice that the royals hadn't. But then Hugo noticed something.

"Why isn't she crying?" he wondered, suddenly fearful. The doctor turned back around, eyes lowered.

"Because she never took a breath," the doctor admitted. Sofia gasped, her hand over her mouth. "She was still-born. It's very common among villagers."

"And I was a villager. It's my fault," Sofia cried, tears falling from her eyes. Hugo wrapped his arms around her.

"No, dear, it isn't," Hugo murmured into her light brown hair. "It wasn't your fault."

"Let me see her," Sofia demanded. "Please just let me hold my daughter once."

The doctor nodded and picked up the child, handing it to the Queen. Sofia brought the baby against her chest and continued to cry. The child was stiff, like she was made from wood. Her eyes were closed and fuzzy black hair grew from her head. But her skin was cold and her heart wasn't beating. Sofia cried, wept for the child she never got to raise and know. She cried for her lost dreams of being a mother and passing on the amulet.

"The people will not be happy," Hugo sighed, his own tears falling down his cheeks. "With the epidemic getting worse every day they really needed a moral boost."

Agonized silence sounded as the parents that never were wept for their daughter who never took a breath. The doctor slowly and silently cleaned up his things. Nancy also shed a few tears, knowing that her Queen had wanted a child more than anything. But than an idea struck the woman.

"Your majesties, I hope I'm not being too insensitive, but I think I may have an idea," she told them, pushing her blond hair behind her small ears. "There are many orphanages in the kingdom. I know it cannot make up for your loss but I could go to the nearest one and take an infant female. One that is close to being a newborn."

"That way the people will think our daughter's alive," Hugo realized.

"You mean, _lie_ to our people?" Sofia asked. Hugo and Nancy lowered their eyes, not proud of the plan.

"Our people are dying of sickness. They need a bit of hope. I know villagers who have been planning parties since we announced your pregnancy. The despair the news of our daughter's death would bring…." Hugo drifted off. "And you would still be a mother. We could give an orphan a home. A better life."

"And if you raised her, your majesty, she _would_ be your daughter," Nancy assured her.

Sofia bit her lip as she thought. Her eyes drifted down to the cold child in her arms, the child she had been planning for. Why not give all she had planned and hoped for to another? Why not give a child destined for despair, starvation, and disease a chance at a better life? And there would be time for her have her own children.

"Alright," Sofia agreed. "Nancy, you may go to the closest orphanage and get us a daughter."

"But tell no one who it is for. And neither of you," Hugo pointed at Nancy and the doctor, "will tell anyone about this."

"Of course, your majesty," the doctor replied and bowed low. Nancy nodded, then the two of them left the room. Hugo took the stiff baby from his wife's arm and placed it the basket, covering it with a soft blanket. Then he turned back to Sofia who was silently crying.

"I know this isn't ideal," Hugo told her. "But she'll be our daughter. I promise."

* * *

Nancy returned while the moon was high in the sky. All of Sofia's doubts disappeared when she saw the child. She had black fuzzy hair and hazel eyes, glistening with joy. Her tiny hands kept waving around and she smiled when she saw her new parents. Sofia and Hugo vowed to give her everything she could ever need or want, completely in love with their daughter.

* * *

"Good citizens of Amalgamate!" Hugo called to the mass below him. "I would like to introduce you to the Queen and mine's daughter!"

The people cheered, waving flags and throwing confetti. Alfred, the old royal sorcerer with stars on his cloak, made rose petals fall from the sky.

"Please join us in welcoming Princess Matilda II!" Sofia declared, lifting her daughter up for all to see. It had been her idea to name her daughter after her aunt, hoping the young girl would have her mentor's whimsical spirit.

The people clapped and the baby began to cry, upset by all the noise. Sofia cradled the baby, her daughter, to her chest and kissed her head. Hugo placed his arm on his wife's shoulder, smiling down at her and his daughter. And the people celebrated as they looked up at the happy family, not knowing it was built on a lie **.**


	2. A Growing Up

Chapter Two

A Growing Up

Princess Matilda II grew up in the gorgeous palace of Amalgamate. She never wanted for anything. And while Sofia was against the child having a nanny, when her duties as Queen began to pile up she conceded. Nancy was ecstatic to take up the job and raised Matilda to the best of her abilities, though she lacked the backbone to discipline the child. As a result, Matilda, or as everyone knew her, Tilly, grew up to be a rather spoiled and self-centered girl.

* * *

"She did that?" Sofia gasped. Amber and she sat in the Enchancia garden, having a drink of tea, catching up with a nice conversation. Amber and James had just gotten back from the Tri-Kingdom picnic with their families. This year Sofia suggested they bring Tilly along since was six and would be going to Royal Prep soon. Sofia wanted her daughter to meet some of her future classmates.

"Broke my little girls hearts," Amber sighed, dumping cream into her tea. She barely knew what she was doing, she was so mad. "She flat out called them commoners. Said my daughters were beneath her." Around the time Tilly was born, Amber had had twin girls, April and May. And because Amber was just a Duchess, they were self-conscious about their titles and lineage.

"Maybe they just misunderstood Tilly," Sofia suggested.

"Are you calling my girls stupid?" Amber demanded, blond brow lifted.

"No, Amber, of course not," Sofia assured her older sister. "I'm just trying to understand why Tilly would do that."

"If you ask me, she acts nothing like you, Sofia," Amber admitted. "Are you sure she's even your daughter?"

* * *

"Welcome to Royal Prep, young majesties!" Miss. Flora exclaimed to all the little six year olds seated in the desks in front of her. Today was the first day of school for all of them, including Tilly.

"Today is the first day on your journey to being a wonderful royal!" Miss. Fauna chimed in.

"And now let's all go around and introduce ourselves," Miss. Merryweather suggested and pointed her blue wand at the little boy with ginger hair and drooping green eyes in the front row.

"Uh, I'm Prince Louis of Zumaria" he said quietly.

"I'm Prince Hale of Enchancia," a boy with milk chocolate colored skin and light curly brown hair announced. He was Tilly's cousin, the son of King James and Queen Ruby.

"I'm Princess Ava of Kaldune," a girl with warm skin and a forest green dress said. A shimmering green veil covered her hair, hanging down from a golden band around her head. Tilly knew Ava was a good friend of her cousins, April and May.

"I'm Princess Kifi of Tangu," said the girl next to Tilly. She had warm skin that shimmered and blueish hair that was in perfect curls. A dark purple belly shirt with black tassels covered her top and a sheer light purple skirt with purple pants under it covered her lower half. A gorgeous silver diadem sat in her hair, dangling amethysts onto her forehead. Tilly liked her instantly due to the way she carried herself, as if she were a Queen instead of a princess.

"And you, dear," Miss. Flora prompted, pointing her red wand at Tilly. "What's your name?"

"Uh, I'm, um….," Tilly drifted off. She suddenly felt self-conscious, thinking her name wasn't princess-like enough. She wanted the other kids to like her and her name 'Tilly' sounded ridiculous. Matilda didn't sound much better. "My name's….Tilda. Princess Tilda of Amalgamate."

* * *

"Are you sure?" Sofia asked, her voice small. Her, Hugo, Nancy, and the doctor were in her room again, Sofia laying on the bed as the old doctor examined her.

"I'm so sorry, your majesty," the doctor sighed, standing at the foot of her bed, head hung.

Sofia blinked back tears as she absorbed his news. She was barren, unable to have children. Never again would she give birth. Tilly, or Tilda as she now liked to be called, would be an only child forever.

Nancy quickly ushered the doctor out, thanking him for coming and giving him his payment in gold coins. Hugo squeezed Sofia's hand as a tear fell from her eye.

"You should have married someone else, Hugo," she whispered. "You should've married someone who could give you a family."

"But I love you," Hugo countered. "And we have a family. We have our daughter."

"We built our family on a _lie_ , Hugo," Sofia cried, her blue eyes meeting his dark ones. "And it haunts me every day."

"It isn't a lie," Hugo insisted. "Tillyisour daughter, even if you didn't give birth her. We love her and she loves us. She _is_ our daughter. And she always will be."

Silence. Sofia mulled over Hugo words while he waited for her response, barely breathing.

"You're right," Sofia finally said. "I love you."

"I love you too," Hugo replied and their lips met. It was a kiss full of sadness, lost dreams, and constant love.

* * *

"Oh yes, Tilda's one of our brightest students," Flora told Sofia and Hugo two years later when they came for a parent-teacher conference. "She excels at nearly everything. She's particularly talented in sorcery. She's one of the best students I've had in a long time."

"That's wonderful to hear," Hugo replied, smiling warmly.

"You said _nearly_ everything," Sofia realized, suddenly worried.

"Well, she doesn't seem to understand that a princess serves her people," Flora explained. "But she's only nine. She'll get better."

"I do hope so," Sofia sighed.

"What about her friends?" Hugo wondered.

"Well, as I'm sure you know, Tilda and Kifi, the princess of Tangu, are two peas in a pod," Flora laughed, remembering the girls' antics and laughter at recess.

"Thank you so much," Hugo said to Flora and he and Sofia went into the hall, reveling in the memories of when they went to school.

But in the hall they found Tilda trying on a glittering crown from the school's display case.

"Tilly!" Sofia exclaimed and rushed over to her daughter, plucking the golden crown off her daughter's black haired head. "How many times have I told you not to touch things that don't belong to you?"

"My name's Tilda!" she protested. "And it was lonely in the case."

"It doesn't matter, it isn't yours," Sofia declared and placed the crown back into the case, slamming the glass shut so hard it nearly cracked. "When are you going to start listening to me?"

Tilda ignored her mother and spun over to her father, her red dress twirling around her ankles.

"Daddy, can I have a new tiara?" she begged, tugging on his arm, her big hazel eyes looking up at him. "Please?"

Hugo looked like he was considering when Sofia coughed sharply and shook her head. Hugo sighed and looked back at his daughter.

"Darling, you have over twenty. I don't think you need a new one," he told Tilda who instantly looked depressed.

"But you said I could have anything I wanted. I'm a princess, Daddy," Tilda insisted.

"And according to Miss. Flora, you don't know what that means," Sofia said. Tilda spun back to her mother and glared.

"I know it means I'm going to be Queen. I know it means that I'm better than everyone else," she exclaimed. "Miss. Flora's just jealous of me because I'm young and pretty and she's old and fat!"

"Matilda!" Sofia cried out, shocked. "When we get home you are going to your room and you can say goodbye to your toys for a month!"

"But Mommy!" Tilda whined.

"No buts! Go to the coach!" Sofia ordered and Tilda stomped away.

Sofia slumped against the display case and put her face in her hands. Hugo walked over to her and placed an arm around her waist.

"It'll be okay," he whispered in the silence of the marble hall.

"Will it?" Sofia wondered. "I don't know what to do with her. I love her, Hugo, I really do. She's been my daughter since the moment I saw her. But I just don't know what to do with her."

"Well, I think we've been doing something right," Hugo told her, turning around and looking into the display case, a small smile on his face.

"How do you know that?" Sofia asked.

"Look at what crown she was trying on," Hugo instructed and Sofia turned as well.

A little plaque under the crown's stand read, " _The Flying Derby Crown. Won by Prince Hugo and Princess Sofia_."

"Perhaps she _will_ take after us," Hugo suggested. Sofia smiled slightly.

"Perhaps."

* * *

Instead of Flying Derby (she claimed it was a boy's sport) Tilda was a champion ice dancer. She was the best student at Royal Prep by far. Kifi and her became the most popular girls at school and bonded over their love of jewelry and dresses.

Tilda never spent time with her Aunt Amber's daughters, saying how a princess never dealt with commoners. Instead, she surrounded herself by foreign princes whom she constantly flirted with.

And, as the years passed, a growing rift formed between Sofia and her daughter. Every year, on Tilda's birthday, Sofia went to the jewel room and stared at the Amulet of Avalor, hoping it would light up, showing her that it was time for Tilda to wear the gem. But it never did and Sofia blamed it on her daughter's pride.

She tried so hard to reach her daughter, to change her and show her her faults. But Tilda had heard all the stories of her mother, the generous princess, the fairest princess, the _best_ princess. Tilda knew she could never measure up so she built walls and kept her mother out. She didn't want to be reminded that she wasn't anything like her mother, that it was such a strange thing that they were related.

* * *

 **Just wanted to clear up who had what kids. Zandar and Hildegard of Tangu have two daughters, Nubia and Kifi. Jin, the king of Wei-Ling, has two sons, Chen and Heng, though I can't remember if I mentioned them. Khalid of Kaldune has two sons, Rigel and Gadi, and one daughter named Aza. Desmond and Vivian of Zumaria have three children, Louis, Ida, and Camille. Amber married Sir Jason (OC) and has a son named Ben and twin girls named April and May. While James and Ruby have six sons, Henry, Harry, Hale, Hunter, Harvey, and Harrison.** **Hale, Kifi, Heng, Aza, and Louis are all the same age as Tilly.**

 **Anyway, thanks for reading!**


	3. A Reveal

Chapter Three

A Reveal

"You look lovely, Princess Tilda," Nancy told the young princess.

Years had passed and it was now time for Tilda's eighteenth birthday ball. Nancy was brushing her wavy black hair up into a stylish up do. Some strands in front of her hair, however, were short and pure white. So Nancy curled them and let them dangle into the princess's face. Then she painted her face with white glittery paint and her eyelids with dark makeup. Her lips were painted with a ruby red paste. Her cheeks were tinted with pink and then Nancy sewed Tilda's corset up.

"Can't you sew it tighter?" she complained.

Nancy sighed, pushing her blond braid, now streaked with gray, behind her shoulder. Her once vibrant green eyes were now dull with worry.

"If I tied it tighter I'd break your ribs, princess," she warned.

"I don't care," Tilda snapped, her pale long finger hands brushing dust from her red skirt. Over top of it lay black lace, sheer and fine. The red bodice of the dress fit her snugly and little sleeves hugged her pale shoulders. "I need to look ravishing. Tonight is the first night I can be courted and I want to attract _all_ the eligible princes."

"How about we move on to your jewels, princess?" Nancy suggested and opened a large oak chest that sat next to Tilda's vanity. It was filled with boxes and pillows that held all the fine jewels she owned. Nancy pulled out a golden choker that glittered around Tilda's pale throat. Two golden earrings glittered in her ear lobes and a golden chain sat around her wrist. "I think you are perfect now, princess."

"Almost," Tilda said and placed a golden tiara studded with rubies on her head.

"Of course," Nancy laughed. "How could I have forgotten the most important part?" She placed her hands onto Tilda's shoulders and smiled. For all her faults, Nancy truly loved the princess.

"Nanny Nancy, you know that after tonight you will no longer care for me," Tilda told the woman, her own hands rising to rest on Nancy's. "It's inappropriate for a crowned princess to have a nanny."

"But I shall miss caring for you, princess," Nancy sighed, removing her hands as the princess examined herself in a glittering full length mirror. "You fun have tonight, you understand?"

"I will," Tilda promised.

There was a knock the heavy wooden doors engraved with golden spirals. Nancy darted over and swung them open. Sofia entered, her brown hair up in a bun, a dark violet dress clinging to her body, the skirt flaring wide with ivory flower painted along the hem. Ribbons adorned her waist and just a touch of makeup shimmered on her face.

"Tilly, darling," Sofia said, hugging her daughter quickly while Tilda flinched. Only her mother still called her that infuriating nickname. Tilda knew it was special, an honor to her mother's aunt, but some days Tilda wished she could have her own name, not someone else's. "You look lovely."

"As do you, Mother," Tilda instantly replied, a practiced smile on her face.

"Are you ready to go down to the party?" Sofia asked.

"Of course," Tilda answered.

"Before we go, I have something for you," Sofia told her, barely able to contain her glee.

"I thought you and Daddy already gave me my gifts," Tilda responded, confused. "I do love my new bracelets and earrings and gowns. You and Daddy know just what I like."

"Yes, but this is something much more special," Sofia assured her daughter and pulled out a small thin necklace box. "This was mine when I was a girl. I want you to have it now."

Intrigued, Tilda opened the box. Inside on golden chain was sparkling egg shaped ruby. It was simple but stunning.

Sofia watched her daughter, grinning like a fool. Finally, the Amulet of Avalor had lit up when she went to the jewel room. It had finally decided that it was time to belong to Tilda. And Sofia could barely contain her excitement.

"It's the Amulet of Avalor," she explained. "And it can do so many things like-"

"Thanks Mom," Tilda cut her off. She slipped the chain over her head and the gem rested right over her heart. Then she glanced at the clock and noticed the time. "You can tell me about it later, okay? It's time for my ball."

"Oh. Uh, of course," Sofia said, trying to hide her disappointment. She'd thought Tilda would be more excited. "Let's get going then."

Tilda smiled and hugged Nancy quickly, thanking her for her help. Then her and her mother exited the room, headed for the ball.

* * *

"There's my two lovely girls," Hugo exclaimed. He stood outside the tall wooden doors that led to the ballroom and was watching as the rest of his family descended the stairs. Sofia smiled and blushed like a young girl in love while Tilda curtsied respectfully.

"Thank you, Daddy," she replied.

Sofia pecked her husband on the cheek and took his hand.

"Are you ready, my dear?" Hugo asked his daughter. She nodded, her smile pleasant but not real.

Hugo then turned and nodded to the two guards clothed in ice blue jackets on either side of the door. They swung open the doors and trumpets blared from balconies high above. Candles glittered from hundreds of chandeliers high above and the marble floor decorated with gold glittered under the crowd's feet. Banquet tables stood against the cream walls, filled with all the delicacies in the world. Musicians sat on a raised stage in front of the window that offered a stunning view of the castle's woods while the sun set.

The crowd clapped politely as Hugo and Sofia descended the steps and entered the ballroom. Tilda waited until her parents had reached the bottom before entering herself. She couldn't help but notice that the applause for her was less than what her parents had received. Annoyed, Tilda accepted the first hand extended to her, the one belonging to her cousin, Prince Hale of Enchancia, and began to dance. They spun across the marble floor, joined by other couples in fancy glittering clothes.

"It's a wonderful party," Hale told her. Tilda smirked.

"It is for me, after all," she simpered. Hale just rolled his light green eyes at his cousin. His chocolate skin seemed to glow under the light of the chandeliers and his curly light brown hair was a mess. He was his father's son, after all.

The music ended and Hale and Tilda bowed to each other, then parted. Tilda watched her cousin go join his clan of brothers. Henry and Harry were older than him and Hunter and Harvey and Harrison were younger, though Harrison was just a baby. They all looked different with varying degrees of skin and hair color, but they all shared James' mischief and Ruby's compassion.

Tilda walked over to a spot near the banquet tables where her friend, Princess Kifi, stood, surrounded by princes and knights. Tilda shooed them off while Kifi glared at her with dark eyes.

"I was having fun, you know," Kifi snapped, arms crossed. Her belly baring formal wear gave her a foreign and mysterious kind of beauty that went well with her curled blue hair.

"I know," Tilda replied, smirking. "So, do you have any of those suitors in mind?"

"Darling, I'm young," Kifi laughed. "Let me have fun with each of them before I pick a winner."

"If your father ever found out what you do…." Tilda warned, but she was also smiling.

"He's much too busy with the state of the kingdom," Kifi assured her friend. "Or he's too busy staring at my mother."

"Trust me, I know _that_ feeling," Tilda sighed, looking at the dance floor where Hugo and Sofia spun around each other, their eyes shining with love for each other. It made Tilda's insides squirm.

"Don't look now, but Prince Rigel is staring at you," Kifi giggled, pointing across the ballroom.

Tilda's hazel eyes glanced up and saw the dark skinned prince with dark eyes and tousled black hair. He wore a deep blue tunic that fell to his knees and a white vest that was the same length as the tunic. A forest green belt wrapped around his waist and tight green pants covered his legs. Tall brown leather boots, shined to perfection, covered his feet. He was a year older than Tilda and had made her heart thump for years.

"Is that a blush I see on your cheeks?" Kifi laughed, pointing at her friend's face.

"Oh, be quiet," Tilda chastised, bumping her shoulder into Kifi's.

"Go," she ordered, her eyes on Prince Chen, the eldest prince of Wei-Ling on the other side of the room. "I'll entertain myself."

"I'm sure you will," Tilda laughed and walked over to Prince Rigel. He grinned as he watched her approach, noticing her low cut dress and tiny waist. Tilda curtsied low, the picture of elegance and grace. "Prince Rigel, how kind of you to come to my birthday ball."

"Well, Princess Tilda, I couldn't miss your first appearance as a woman who can now be courted," he replied, his grin charming.

"And why is that?" Tilda quipped, enjoying flirting. It was the first time she was allowed to do, not that she hadn't in the past.

"I wanted to be the first prince to offer you a dance," Rigel said, hand held out. Tilda smirked.

"Then I'm afraid you're too late. Prince Hale and I already had a lovely dance," she told him. It was Rigel's turn to smirk.

"Yes, but he is your cousin. I don't think he counts," he replied. "Now, how about that dance?"

Tilda gladly took his hand and he spun her towards the dance floor. Hours and hours they twirled on the dance floor, only pausing to down goblets of wine. By midnight, most of the older royals and nobles had left. Some younger ones were still dancing, though, and Tilda's feet were sore, her cheeks flushed red from wine. She didn't protest when Rigel led her out of the ballroom and down a dark deserted hall. Tilda giggled, slightly drunk, and flirting up a storm as she drained another wine glass in her hand. The two turned a corner, Tilda teetering in her heels, when Rigel pulled her into a dark alcove. Tilda leaned into him, misreading the situation.

"Ssh," Rigel ordered, voice quiet. He was listening to two arguing voices in a nearby room whose door was cracked open. Two voices that Tilda recognized.

"I can't keep lying to her!" Sofia exclaimed. "She's eighteen and deserves to know the truth!"

"But think about what it could do to her," Hugo replied. "Tilda takes such pride in her royal lineage."

"All the more reason to tell her!" Sofia shouted. "Maybe she'll _finally_ connect with me when she learns how similar our origins are!"

Silence. Tilda and Rigel could hear Sofia sobbing.

"I know it's hard," Hugo sighed. "But I don't want to break her heart."

"But, Hugo, I can't deal with the guilt. Our family is built on a lie. We're not even a family."

"Don't talk like that. We _are_ a family. And just because Tilda's adopted doesn't mean she's not our daughter."

The glass goblet in Tilda's hand dropped to the ground and shattered. Rigel moved away from her, his face disgusted. Drawn by the noise, Sofia and Hugo burst into the hall to find their stunned daughter and a prince walking away from her, disgusted. Stomach sinking, the coupled realized they had heard everything.

Tilda watched Rigel leave and knew that he would tell every royal he could about her false lineage. He was a gossip and would love to spill the beans on her. But right now all Tilda could focus on was the guilty looks on her parents' (though not really her parents) faces.

"Tilly-," Sofia started, reaching out for her daughter. But Tilda stepped back.

"That's not my name," she snapped then realized something. "I don't even know my own name."

"Your name is Matilda," Hugo insisted.

"No, it's not," the young no-longer-princess gasped. "I don't know who my parents are. I don't know where I came from. I don't know who I am."

"You're our daughter," Sofia assured her.

"No, I'm not," Tilda whispered and took another step back. Her hazel eyes swept over the palace, taking in all the finery she thought was hers. But it wasn't. The truth cut her deep and Tilda couldn't stand to look at the people who had been her parents for eighteen years, who had lied to her for eighteen years.

So Tilda turned on her heel and ran. She ran through the long marble halls, kicking off her heels so she could run faster. Sofia and Hugo shouted after her, trying to chase her. Tilda knew her parents would search her room and the jewel room, her favorite rooms in the palace. But when she was a young girl, Sofia had her help the servants with chores, hoping it would humble her. It hadn't. All it had given Tilda was a great knowledge of the secret passages in the castle walls.

So she reached behind a tapestry depicting Sofia and Hugo's wedding and pulled a lever. A door opened and Tilda ran through cobwebby halls filled with mice. She needed to leave. She needed to get away.

So Tilda ran down to the lowest level of the castle where a long hall filled with plain brown doors was. The servants' quarters. She ran to the end of the hall, to the glass door that led to a back road through the castle's woods that led to a village. But before Tilda could open the door she noticed that she was still in her fancy ball gown that would no doubt stick out in a village full of peasants.

So she darted into the closest servant's room. She reached into the servant's trunk filled with clothes and pulled out a simple long sleeved red dress with a black overlay on the skirt. She quickly pulled it on and laced up the black corset over top. Then she pulled on some sturdy dusty black boots and quickly laced them up as well. But Tilda didn't want to get rid of her jewelry since she hoped it could pay for some things. So she slipped her sleeves down to hide her bracelet and tucked her golden earrings and choker into her bodice since she didn't have pockets. She left the amulet out though. It felt special, now that she was running. And fearing the cold, she grabbed a dark red long cloak that fastened at the end of her neck. One glance in the mirror told her she was ready.

Then Tilda went back into the hall and pulled open the glass door. The air smelled sweet and rich and as Tilda ran she realized she'd forgotten something. She reached up and pulled off her golden tiara studded with rubies. Tears welled up in her eyes and she kissed the cold metal, kissing goodbye the life and luxury she had known, before she tossed it into the lake Sofia and Hugo loved so much. Then Tilda ran further down the read, headed to the village, leaving the shimmering lights of the palace behind.


	4. A Locket & A Name

Chapter Four

A Locket & A Name

The sun was rising when Tilda stumbled into the village. Wooden buildings made up the main square while smaller roads branched off and led to small houses. Horses and donkeys carried passengers throughout town to do their errands while Tilda stumbled into the nearest inn. Her head was pounding and her stomach was groaning, no doubt because of all the wine she had drank the night before. She was sweaty from running and her feet were bone tired. She needed somewhere to sleep.

The inn she walked into had mice running along the edge of the floor and dirty peasants sitting at long wooden tables, eating pots of stew and plates of runny eggs. A single maid with dark skin and bushy hair pulled into a bun darted around them, her forest green cotton dress with copper buttons down the front flapping at her feet. A flour covered apron covered her skirt, its white ribbon tied around her waist. Tilda walked past them and went to the back room where an old man with three teeth and gray eyes stood behind a desk.

"I need a room," Tilda told him, sounding very bossy. The man sneered at her.

"And how long ye gonna be staying?" he asked, flipping pages in a thick ledger, quill in hand.

"Just today," Tilda replied. "I'll need a queen sized bed with silk sheets and perhaps a window with a view."

"The only view you'll get is the view of the filthy street. And you'll get a pile of hay with a cotton blanket," the old man grumbled while Tilda recoiled. What kind of place was this?

"That's it?" she exclaimed.

"Yer free to participate in our free-for-all meals," the old man added and pointed at the tables behind Tilda where two fat men were fighting over the last plate of eggs, fists raised. Tilda frowned but nodded, accepting that this was what she had to endure. "That're be twenty coppers fer one day."

"Here," Tilda said, pulling out a golden earring from her bodice. She slide it across the crusty desk and the man scooped it up in his hairy hands. "That should be enough, right?"

"Tell me, darling, does this look like a pawn shop to you?" the old man asked, his gray eyes boring holes into Tilda.

"But it's gold. Surely that will suffice."

"And how did a peasant girl like yerself get yer hands on something like this?"

"I….uh. It's a long story."

"Ye know what I think? I think ye stole it."

"Stole it?!"

"Now get out of me inn 'fore I call the palace guards to come and arrest ye."

"But I didn't steal it!" Tilda cried out. Her commotion was drawing the attention of the other guests and the maid.

"Yes, ye did. Now get out before I throw you out," the old man threatened.

Tilda fumed for a moment, debating if she should fight, but decided it wasn't worth it. After all, there had to be other inns in this village.

"Fine," Tilda snapped and reached for her earring. But the old man snatched it up and shoved it deep into his dirty pants' pocket. "That's mine!"

"Now it's mine. Consider it payment for not calling the guards," the old man growled and turned away. Tilda glared at his back before she turned sharply on her heel and exited the inn as the people at the table laughed and mocked her. Tilda, her cheeks flaming red, thought about telling them who she was before she remembered that even she didn't know that.

Outside, Tilda was met with the fact that the village _did not_ have another inn. Angry and exhausted, Tilda thought about what she could do. She walked around the main road of the village, asking if there was somewhere she could stay. No one paid her any attention. When she was asking a fruit seller if there was somewhere she could sleep, a young girl stared at her until her father pulled her away.

"But Daddy, where's she gonna sleep?" the child wondered. Her father sniffed.

"Don't pay any attention to her," he instructed. "She's just a beggar. Won't amount to anything."

Anger flamed inside Tilda's heart and she nearly yelled at him. But she constrained herself.

"Excuse me?" a strong voice called. Tilda turned and saw the maid from the inn walking towards her. "Do you need a place to stay?"

"I….um….yes," Tilda admitted, slumping in defeat. "I'm exhausted.

"My shift ends in an hour and there's room in my home. If you just wait, staying near the inn, I can show you where it is when I'm done," the maid offered, pushing a strand of bushy hair out of her dark eyes.

"Really?" Tilda asked hopefully.

"Really," the maid said and nodded, a small smile on her face.

"But why? Everyone else hasn't paid me any attention. They say I'm a beggar."

"I believe in helping everyone. After all, any deed for those in need….well, that's a deed worth doing."

"Wait. I've heard the before," Tilda thought, tapping her chin. The maid shrugged.

"I'll see you in an hour?" she inquired.

"Yes, thank you," Tilda replied, remembering her etiquette training from Royal Prep. The maid nodded and, with a small smile on her lips, went back into the inn.

Tilda wandered the square for the next hour, marveling at the fact that the villagers paid her no mind. When the maid finished her work and after turning in her apron, she found Tilda watching a craftsmen make a glass jar in his stand.

"My home's this way," the maid told her, pulling her down a well-worn path through town. "And since you'll be staying with me I feel I should ask your name."

"Oh, um, I'm….," Tilda stalled, trying to think. Everyone knew her as Princess Tilda. Tilly made her cringe and Matilda would be a dead giveaway to who she used to be. What other part of her name could she use? Mat? No, that was dumb. Mattie? Dumber. "My name's Maddie." It was true enough. She wasn't Tilda anymore

"That's pretty," the maid said.

"May I ask, what's your name?" Maddie asked.

"Jane," the woman replied, offering her hand. Maddie shook it then her eyes widened as she realized something.

"I _do_ know you! You were in Carol of the Arrow's Merry Band!" she exclaimed. Jane laughed as she undid the buttons of her dress. Underneath she wore forest green pants and a leather vest tied up with black laces, a white blouse underneath. Sturdy black boots were laced up her shins and small knife was tied to her waist with a thick black leather belt.

"I didn't realize they told stories about me," Jane mused, slipping her dress into a leather satchel hanging from her shoulder. "I thought they were all about Carol."

"My, uh….someone told me," Maddie hastily replied, trying to cover up her mistake. "Why are you here and not with Carol?"

"About five years ago she and the Merry Band were saving a family from some rapids. A child fell into the water as were saving them and Carol dove in after her," Jane explained, voice heavy. "She put the child onto a rock and I tossed her a rope. But Carol was pulled under and the Merry Band couldn't save her."

"I'm so sorry."

"After that the Merry Band broke up. Without Carol we didn't have a leader, though I tried to step up. After that, I went back to my old life. But I'd run away from home when I was young and my parents didn't want me to come back. So, with nothing in Enchancia for me, I left. I'd heard Sofia was Queen here and decided to come to Amalgamate."

"Did you know her? Queen Sofia?" Maddie inquired, already knowing the answer.

"Yes. She was a kind soul and she's a wonderful Queen," Jane answered then stopped outside a tall wooden building with three stories and a wooden shed next to it. "This is where I live."

"It's larger than I thought," Maddie said. Jane laughed dryly.

"I have the room on top. A young family lives below me and an older couple lives on the ground floor."

Jane walked to the back of the house and opened a narrow door that hid a steep staircase. Exhausted, Maddie nearly fell over twice. At the top was a dirty brown door with a sign tacked on reading _Jane_. Jane quickly unlocked the door and entered. Inside was a small table with two stools, next to a few cupboards and a tiny fireplace. A small window at the back of the room let in a few rays of sunlight while a rickety wooden bed covered in hole-filled blankets stood next to it. Jane quickly lit a lantern hanging from the ceiling, letting more light shine in the room so Maddie could see the door on the right wall, leading to the bathroom. Overall, it was a dusty and depressing house. But Jane just went over to the small trunk at the foot of her bed and pulled out a white cotton night gown with three copper buttons in the back to hold it together.

"Here you go," Jane said, handing her the nightgown. "Put this on then you can sleep. I'll wash your clothes and start making some lunch, okay?"

"Thank you but I can't stay here too long. I'm looking for something," Maddie told her.

"Oh. And what's that?" Jane asked, taking a seat on one of the stools at the tiny table.

"I….I just found out I was adopted. I'm trying to find out who my parents were," Maddie admitted, sitting on the other stool.

"How do you plan to do that?" Jane inquired.

"I know I must have been adopted from an orphanage near the palace. I was thinking of going there first," Maddie explained.

"Well you look dead on your feet so get some rest. Once your energy is back, I'll take you to the orphanage closest to the palace. It isn't far from here," Jane instructed.

"Thank you."

Maddie took the nightgown, quickly changed in bathroom that had a wooden tub and bucket of water with a ball of soap. When she was back in the main room, she collapsed in the itchy bed and fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

* * *

"Have you found anything yet?" Hugo demanded as one of his knights ran into the throne room. The man knelt on one knee and shook his head.

"No, my king," he replied. Hugo sat back in his throne, frustrated. Behind him Sofia paced the length of the raised dais that they were on.

"Thank you, Sir Charles," Hugo told the knight on the ground. "Continue searching."

"Where could she be?" Sofia demanded as soon as the knight left. She grabbed the back of her husband's throne, nearly leaving imprints of her nails in the wood. "She could be in danger!"

"I thought you gave her your amulet," Hug said. "Won't that protect her?"

"I fear it will only curse her," Sofia moaned. Hugo turned around so he could face his wife.

"What do you mean?"

"The amulet protects the wearer, yes, but it also grants powers and curses. _'For each deed performed, for better or worse, a power is granted, a blessing or curse_. _'_ "

"If you knew that why did you give her the amulet?" Hugo demanded, suddenly angry.

"Because it was her turn! I hoped she could learn in the safety of the palace but now she's gone!" Sofia sobbed. She sank to the cold marble ground, tears falling from her blue eyes, face in her hands. "I'm afraid we'll never see her again."

Hugo got out of his throne and sat next to Sofia, his anger deflating. Sofia had only done what she thought was right. He placed his arms around her and held as she cried. For a few moments neither of them said anything.

"We'll find her," Hugo finally said. "I promise."

"Where would she even go? We're her only family," Sofia wondered.

"Of course!" Hugo suddenly exclaimed. "Her family! She's gone looking for them!"

"But she was an orphan. She doesn't have a family."

"Doesn't mean she can't find out who her parents _were_."

"She must have gone looking for the closest orphanages to the palace!"

"I'll tell the knights," Hugo declared and began to walk down the steps of the dais.

"No, Hugo," Sofia called after him, halting his steps. "We need to go find her. _We_ need to be the ones searching for her."

"Of course," Hugo replied with a smile. "I'll tell the stable boys to saddle Mercy and Lightning."

* * *

"Maddie, darling, wake up. I know you don't want to but if you don't get up now, you won't sleep tonight," Jane said as she shook Maddie awake.

"Go fetch me ten strawberries with cream," Maddie muttered, still waking up. "And I want it served on gold with cool water in a glass goblet."

"You're not in the palace, darling," Jane laughed, a knowing look in her eye. "But I have made some stew. You're lucky, I caught a rabbit while you were napping."

"What?" Maddie moaned and sat up, rubbing her eyes. "You killed a bunny?"

"It's quite delicious," Jane said and placed two bowls on the small table. A black pot was hanging over the fire and the smell of food was coming from it. Maddie stumbled out of bed and sat down on one of the stools.

"How long did I sleep?" she asked.

"Few hours," Jane replied. "It's a little after noon."

"So can we go to the orphanage now?" Maddie inquired.

"Eat first," Jane ordered, pointing at the bowl of soup. "Then you can take a bath because you look like a homeless waif. Then we'll go."

So Maddie grabbed her wooden spoon and ate the stew, trying not to gag when she tasted it. Then she went into the bathroom and found that Jane had filled the tub with warm water and left a few bars of soap for her.

After the bath, Maddie put on the clothes Jane had washed and did her hair in two braids that hung to her low back, the short white streaks in the front dangling in front of her forehead.

After that Jane and Maddie began their long trek to the orphanage. It resided in the woods, hidden from view, so the path was littered with twigs and ditches. Maddie tried her best not to complain but she couldn't help screeching when she saw a garden snake or a fox. Jane laughed every time while Maddie grumbled that a nice horse and coach would make the trip much easier.

"Darling, the best I could do is rent a donkey. And I don't have the money to do that," Jane told her. That sent Maddie on a rant about fleas and Jane couldn't help but smile at the young girl's inexperience.

After several hours, as the sun set, the pair came upon the orphanage. It was a long, one story, wooden house that was nearly falling apart. Children played in the yards and climbed trees, laughing as they chased each other around. They were all covered in dirt and their clothes were horribly stitched up. Most of the children looked to be nothing more than skin and bones, clearly underfed.

Uncomfortable, Maddie quickly walked to the front door and knocked loudly. And old woman quickly opened the door, her back hunched and her gray hair cut short and jagged. A younger woman was behind her with small wrinkles and light brown hair pulled into a tight bun, her tan dark from years in the sun.

"Yes?" the old woman asked, her voice old and creaky. "Who are you and what do you want?"

"Uh, my name's….Maddie," Maddie said and glanced at Jane who nodded encouragingly. "I believe I was adopted from here and I'm wondering if you know who my mother was."

The two women glanced at each other, their eyes unreadable. Then the younger woman nodded.

"Why don't you come in?" she offered, opening the door wide. Inside was a sofa filled with holes and its stuffing falling out. A few toys were scattered on the floor and doors led to other rooms. The women went to a cupboard on the wall and pulled out a huge a book, one with crumbling pages and a leather cover. They heaved it onto a wooden table in front of the sofa.

"I'm Lisa," the older woman said, gesturing for Maddie and Jane to sit on the couch. They did and Maddie tried not to think about how dirty her butt was getting.

"And I'm Gemma," the younger woman told them, flipping through the pages of the large book.

"Jane," Jane announced and shook Lisa's hand.

"Now, Maddie, can you tell us when you were adopted?" Gemma asked.

"About eighteen years ago. Around this time of year," Maddie answered.

"Ah, yes," Gemma muttered. "We only had one adoption during that time."

Lisa glanced at the book and frowned.

"What's wrong?" Maddie inquired.

"Well, you see, yours is a rather sad tale," Gemma admitted.

"What happened?" Maddie demanded. "Tell me!"

"Eighteen years ago a woman came to us. She wore a red cloak and had black hair with white streaks in the front, like yours. She was going into labor," Gemma started.

"We helped her give birth to you, dear," Lisa continued.

"I was just a teenager at that time," Gemma added.

"But after the birth your mother was very weak. She died within the hour," Lisa finished, her wrinkles deepening as she frowned.

"But what was her name?" Maddie inquired.

"She never said," Gemma sighed. "We don't know who she was."

"But the next day a woman named Nancy came and asked for our youngest baby girl. We gave her you," Lisa added.

"So there's no way to find out who I am," Maddie sighed, disappointed. She blinked back a few tears, not for the loss of her mother but for the loss of not knowing who she was.

"We do have some of her things," Lisa offered and waved at Gemma who went back to the cupboard and pulled out a small red bag that could be attached to the waist belt. Embroidered on the bag was a many pointed star, like a spark, and inside it was the letter _C_. Gemma handed it to Maddie who instantly opened it.

Inside were three small vials with a different colored liquid in each. There was also a golden circular locket with the same star and letter engraved on it. And under all that was a thin red wand with a curled handle.

"She was a witch?" Maddie wondered, examining the wand as she held it. Jane shook her head.

"No, that's not the wand of a witch. That's a sorcerer's wand," she corrected her.

"She was a sorceress?" Maddie amended.

"She could have just been carrying the want," Jane suggested. "But a normal person also has money. It's strange that there isn't any coins." She directed her gaze to Lisa and Gemma who squirmed under her gaze.

"You have to understand that we have so many children here," Gemma exclaimed, her eyes guilty. "And with the epidemic going on…."

"She had about two silver and thirty copper," Lisa said and pulled out a small pouch from her skirt's pocket. She then pulled out the coins and held them out to Maddie. "Here."

Maddie's pale hand began to reach for them but then Jane's dark one touched hers. Maddie glanced at her and Jane subtly shook her head. So Maddie acted like she'd just been stretching and also shook her head.

"No, you two clearly need the money. Keep it," Maddie told them. Both women looked relieved and Lisa slipped the coins back into her pouch.

"Wait," Jane said, looking into the red pouch. "There's a piece of paper in there."

"She wrote that before she died," Gemma admitted. "She said it was your name."

Intrigued and desperate, Maddie reached it and unrolled the small slip of paper. Written in thick black ink in a curled script was one word. _Celeste_.

"Celeste," Maddie, now Celeste, announced, trying the name out. "My name's Celeste."

"It's beautiful," Jane told her. "Your mother picked well."

Silence. Celeste stared at her name, tears in her eyes as she grinned. She knew part of who she was. She knew her name.

"We, uh, we buried your mother out back, in our graveyard," Gemma said, trying to break the tension. "Would you like me to show you?"

"Sure," Celeste replied and she, Gemma, and Jane stood.

The three of them headed to the back of the house, Celeste tying her mother's bag onto her waist with the bags strap. They were met by rows and rows of gravestones, all handmade. The clearing was surrounded by dark woods and the sun was nearly down, the light almost gone. Each gravestone they passed had a name and the person's age on it. Jane's heart clenched whenever she saw where young children and toddlers had been buried.

Finally, Gemma stopped at a rough circular stone. Engraved in it was the same star and letter _C_. Gemma quickly left, letting Celeste be alone. Jane placed her hand on Celeste's shoulder, trying to offer support. But all Celeste felt was sadness for herself. She still didn't know who she was or who her mother was.

"I'm sorry you couldn't figure out who she was," Jane whispered, careful not to disturb the silence too much.

"I'm not done searching. I'll find out she was," Celeste assured her.

"How?" Jane inquired. Celeste held up the golden locket.

"With this," she replied and opened it. Inside was a portrait of a man with a pointy nose and hazel eyes. His hair was dark black and the front strands were white. He wore a purple robe with a green bow and was smiling slightly, a raven perched on his shoulder.

"I know who that is!" Jane gasped. "That's Cedric the Sensational, Enchancia's old royal sorcerer."

"He isn't anymore?" Celeste asked.

"He was fired a few years ago," Jane explained. "Some big scandal. I didn't pay much attention."

"Why do you think my mother has a locket with his picture in it?" Celeste wondered.

"He was probably important to her," Jane replied.

"Do you know where he lives now?" Celeste demanded, suddenly eager. She had a clue.

"After he was fired he retired to his parents' home in Mystic Meadows. They died about a year after he moved in so he's all alone," Jane answered.

"Then I guess we're going to Enchancia," Celeste exclaimed, her hand clutching the locket that would lead her to her mother's identity.


	5. A Flee & A Departure

Chapter Five

A Flee & A Departure

"Tomorrow we will travel to Enchancia," Jane promised Celeste as they returned to Jane's home. The moon was high in the sky and the stars shone bright. "But tonight we'll sleep. You can take my bed."

"Thank you," Celeste replied, not really hearing what Jane was saying. She was too focused on the locket. She'd put the chain around her neck and was now holding the pendent in her hand. The circular locket fell below her amulet and Celeste couldn't help but hold it in her hand, afraid it would disappear.

"Good night," Jane called as Celeste got into the bed, now in the nightgown Jane had lent her. She fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow, her hand holding the locket so tight her knuckles turned white. "Princess."

* * *

"This is where Nancy said she got Tilly," Sofia said as her and Hugo walked up the path leading to the long single story orphanage. The skinny kids running around the yard made Sofia's heart ache and she wished she had thought to bring them something.

"Then let's talk to the owners," Hugo suggested, tying his and Sofia's flying horses to a nearby tree.

As the King and Queen walked up to the door, their riding clothes clean of dirt and stains, the children stared. Disturbed by the silence outside, Gemma ran out of the door and looked around the yard. When she saw the King and Queen she made a small noise and curtsied clumsily, holding up her patched and fraying brown skirt. The bun of light brown hair sitting on her head wobbled and her tanned skin looked like it was shining in the light of the rising sun.

"Your majesties, what an honor this is," Lisa stuttered. "May I ask what brings you two to our humble orphanage?"

"We're looking for a girl," Hugo replied, his back straight, tournament medals gleaming on his chest. "Eighteen years of age, pale skin, black hair with white streaks in the front."

"She's wearing a necklace, one with a ruby," Sofia added. Lisa gulped.

"Why are you looking for her? Has she done something wrong?" she inquired.

"That is none of your concern," Hugo snapped. Sofia put her hand on his arm, trying to calm him.

"She's very dear to us. Please, can you tell us if you've seen her?" Sofia asked, her tone kind.

"A girl like the one you described did come through here," Gemma admitted. "She came looking for who her mother was."

"Did she find out?" Sofia asked, fearing Tilly was already lost to her.

"No," Gemma assured her. "The girl's mother came to us when she was going into labor. She died with telling us her name."

Sofia's jaw dropped and her hand went over her heart, stunned.

"Where is she now? The girl?" Hugo inquired, his hand grabbing Sofia's other one.

"She's probably in the nearest village, about ten miles from here," Gemma answered.

"Thank you," Hugo replied and turned back to the horses.

But before she left Sofia took off a gold bracelet she was wearing and handed it to Gemma.

"For the children," she told her, her eyes on the stick thin children in the yard all staring at her.

Gemma took it, eyes welling up with tears, mouthing her thanks since she was rendered speechless. Sofia then turned around and untied her own horse, Mercy, a pale purple horse with a braided blond mane.

"I gave you that bracelet for our anniversary," Hugo commented as he climbed onto his horse, Lightning who had white a coat with a dark purple mane.

"I know," Sofia replied. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Hugo told her. "They need it more."

Then the royal couple flicked their horses' reins and flew into the sky.

* * *

"I must admit, I like squirrel much better than rabbit," Celeste muttered as she ate her bowl of stew at the little table in Jane's room. The curly haired woman smiled, laughing slightly.

"Well, there's not much meat on them, but they are plentiful," Jane replied.

"So how are we going to get to Enchancia?" Celeste asked, setting her spoon down as she finished.

"The docks are about a two hour walk from here. We'll go there and get a ride on one of the trade boats to Enchancia," Jane explained, picking up the bowls and putting them in the bucket of soapy water next to the cupboards.

"But I don't have any money," Celeste sighed.

"Don't worry, I can pay for you," Jane assured her.

"Thank you," Celeste responded, truly grateful. If it weren't for Jane she would still be wandering the village, exhausted and starving.

"Now go get ready," Jane ordered, pushing Celeste towards the bathroom. "We'll leave in ten minutes."

As Celeste braided her long black hair in the bathroom she suddenly heard shouting from the streets below. Worried, she ran back into the main room where Jane was looking out the window. Celeste joined her and nearly screamed at what she saw. Guards. Almost fifty of them were marching through the village, banging on doors, dragging peasants out of their homes and into the streets.

"I don't understand," Jane muttered, watching the streets fill up. "What's going on?"

But then Celeste and Jane saw a pair of flying horses touch down in the middle of the street. And on the backs of those horses were the King and Queen of Amalgamate, Hugo and Sofia.

"Oh no," Celeste moaned and back up, making sure no one could see her if they looked up at the window.

"Attention, villagers!" Hugo cried out, his voice booming out for all to hear. "We're sorry to disturb you but we are looking for a young girl, eighteen years of age! She has black hair with white streaks, hazel eyes, and is most likely wearing a necklace with a ruby!"

"Necklace with a ruby….," Jane repeated, her eyes drifting to the amulet around Celeste's neck.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, hand over the gem. "I should've told you."

"That you're running from the King and Queen?" Jane guessed, her voice low. "Yes, that may have been nice to know!"

"I saw a girl like that," the old innkeeper offered. "Tried to buy a room from me with a gold earring she no doubt stole."

"I have to get out of here," Celeste muttered and grabbed her mother's bag off the tiny table. She quickly tied it to her waist and started to the door.

"Wait," Jane called after her.

"Do you know where she is?" Sofia asked the innkeeper on the street below, her horse prancing closer to him.

"My maid, Jane, let the girl stay with her," he replied. "She lives over there in the top room."

"Guards!" Hugo ordered, pointing at the tall wooden building.

"I'm coming with you," Jane told Celeste and grabbed a cloth bag of food from the cupboard. "You won't last a day out there without me."

"Thank you," Celeste replied, truly thankful. Jane could be arrested for helping her but she was going to anyway.

"Thank me when we get away," Jane muttered and pulled Celeste away from the door. The two could hear heavy footsteps running up the stairs.

Jane pulled Celeste into the bathroom and bolted the door with a broom in the corner. The girls heard guards knock on the door, then burst into the room. Jane quickly turned around and pulled a cupboard open.

"What is that?" Celeste asked, voice quiet. Inside the square cupboard was a rope that fell down to the bottom of the building.

"A pulley system I use to get water up here," Jane answered. "And now, our way out of here."

"Check in there!" a loud voice shouted from the room. A guard jiggled the bathroom's door handle.

"It's locked!" he yelled back.

"Well then open it!" the original voice ordered. Celeste's heart froze.

"Come on!" Jane hissed, pushing her towards the cupboard that she barely fit through. "Don't let go. There's a giant tub of water at the bottom that you'll land in. Hold your breath and get out as soon as you can. I'll be down in a few seconds."

Celeste nodded, too terrified for words. The thought of going back to the palace where the liars who claimed to be her parents lived was frightening. She didn't want to go back, not when she still had so much to discover. So she grabbed the rope and jumped through the cupboard.

Celeste flew down, nearly screaming as the wind roared in her ears. Then her body hit the water and her breath flew out of her lungs. She quickly let go of the rope and swam towards the edge of the tub. It was deep, much too deep to stand in, and very wide. Celeste had to kick with all her might, fighting the drag of her clothes. Then she grabbed the edge of the wooden tub and pulled herself out. The tub was in the side shed next to the building and she could see that the three other rooms also had a pulley system to pull up water.

The rope whirled again and Jane fell into the tub. She swam over quickly with strong strokes and climbed out.

"Let's go," she ordered and led Celeste to the door of the shed. Jane pushed it open and they ran down a dirt path that led into some woods. Behind them, they could hear the voices of the guards announcing they couldn't find Jane or the girl the King and Queen were looking for. Celeste blocked it out and followed Jane through the trees, running faster than a deer, towards the docks and towards answers.

* * *

"We're sorry, your majesties," the captain of the guard said, head bowed.

"It's alright," Sofia assured him though her heart was breaking. She knew they'd been close, so close. But her little Tilly had slipped through her fingers.

"Did you find anything?" Hugo asked. "Something we could use as a clue?"

"We found this on the bathroom counter. One of the girls had been washing up and must have taken it off," the guard offered, holding out a circular golden locket with a star engraved on it with a _C_ in the middle of it. Sofia took it gently and opened it, gasping as she did. Inside was a picture of a man she knew well.

"Isn't that….?" Hugo drifted off.

"Yes," Sofia confirmed. "We need to find Cedric the Sensational."

* * *

"Oh no," Celeste moaned as her and Jane approached the docks. They could see the ships and merchants had stalls set up, selling tokens and trinkets from far off kingdoms. The road they were on led to the docks and carts led by horses and donkeys walked up and down the street while people cluttered the alleys. The salty smell of the sea wafted on the air and sailors yelled out as they filled their ships.

"What's wrong?" Jane asked as she searched for the stall that sold tickets for rides to other kingdoms.

"The locket," Celeste cried, tears welling up in her eyes. "I don't have it."

"What?" Jane gasped, turning to face the black haired girl.

"I took it off when I was getting ready because I didn't want the water and soap to rust it," Celeste explained. "I left it on the counter in the bathroom."

"It's okay," Jane assured her. "We know where we're going and who we're looking for. We don't need it anymore."

"But what if the guards find it?" Celeste speculated. "They could use it to find us."

"True," Jane admitted. Celeste slumped against a cart that was sitting in the street, its owner shopping around.

"What's going to happen to you, Jane? Will the innkeeper keep your job?" she suddenly wondered.

"I'll be fine," Jane told her, leaning against the cart as well. They had been running for hours and cherished the rest.

"You'll be fired," Celeste corrected. Jane sighed, but didn't deny it. "You should go home."

"But what about finding your mother?" Jane demanded. "Don't you need help?"

"I'll be fine. But I don't want to ruin your life," Celeste explained. "Go home. Go to work. I'll be fine."

Silence as Jane thought. Seagulls up in the air cawed as they flew.

"I don't want to leave you all alone," Jane eventually said.

"I can do this on my own. You've done enough, really," Celeste assured her, taking her dark hands with her pale one. "Promise me you'll go home."

"Alright," Jane sighed. "But take this." And she handed the young girl the cloth bag filled with food.

Then the two embraced, their arms squeezing the other tight. Though they'd only known each other a few short days, they had a true friendship that would last.

"Celeste, I feel I must warn you," Jane whispered in Celeste's ear, tone urgent. "Be careful what you say and do. If anyone finds out who you truly are….I fear great harm may come your way."

And the two broke apart, though Jane hesitated.

"Go," Celeste ordered.

Jane smiled, then started back down the road that would take her back to her village. And while Celeste started looking for the tickets booth she didn't notice her amulet glowing faintly.


	6. A Power & A Curse

Chapter Six

A Power & A Curse

"How much?" Celeste asked.

"Ten silver. No less," the grumpy man in the booth declare. He was short with only three white hairs on his fat head. Celeste was trying to buy a ticket on the next boat to Enchancia but it was way out of her price range.

"Will you take this?" she asked, pulling her golden bracelet out of the bag on her waist. "It's authentic gold, worth much more than ten silver."

"Does this look like a pawn shop to you?" the man asked. Celeste sighed and pocketed the bracelet.

"No," she muttered and walked away.

With no idea of what she was going to do, Celeste walked down the dock, the wooden planks hard under her feet. She'd never been to the docks and it was exhilarating to see the hustle and bustle as the sailors worked. Celeste had to dodge many of them as she walked.

But then she started back into the little market next to the dock and all the wealthy dressed people glared at her and the others dressed in simple clothes. For the first time in her life, Celeste didn't like the eyes all on her. So she turned into a small patch of trees next to the market sat on a bench next to a small duck pond. For hours, it seemed, though it was only minutes, she sat there, thinking of what she could do. She didn't notice that a wealthy young couple, around her age, had entered the forest and was walking over to the bench she sat on.

"Oh dear, there's something icky on our bench," the girl mused. Her blond hair was curled to perfection and her pale face shimmered with makeup while a silver necklace dangled from her long neck and a forest green dress hugged her curves. She was very beautiful.

"Then I guess I'll have to get rid of it," the boy replied, his ginger hair sparkling in the son. He was clearly a knight-in-training, a squire, since he wore a pin with his family's crest and had a sword at his side. His nose was slightly upturned so it appeared that he was looking down on everyone.

Celeste glanced up as they approached, pushing one of her black braids behind her ear. The boy glared at her and waved his hand, as if dismissing her. The last streak of pride in Celeste, though, made her refuse to move.

"Go away," the boy ordered when she didn't stand.

"No," Celeste replied, defiant. "I was here first."

"But this is our bench," the girl protested.

"Did you pay for it?" Celeste asked, one eyebrow raised. The girl stuttered, trying to think of a response.

"Beggars like you don't deserve to sit on places where the fortunate do," the boy declared and leaned in, threatening. "Now, get up."

"No," Celeste said again.

The boy's face was turning red. He grabbed the cloth bag full of food that was sitting at her feet, the one Jane had given her, and threw it. Intentionally or not, it landed in a mud puddle, rendering all the food inedible. Celeste grinded her teeth together to keep from telling this boy who she had been. But Jane's warning still rang in her head so she kept her tongue.

"Still not moving," Celeste told him instead.

"Why you insufferable, little, tramp!" he yelled and yanked her to her feet by her arm. Celeste, now even angrier, stomped on his foot. The boy howled, hopping up and down on one foot. Furious, he shoved her towards the small duck pond. Celeste stumbled, but kept her footing.

After the girl made sure the boy's foot wasn't broken, she glared at Celeste. But her expression of anger quickly melted into one of fear. She screamed and started running back up the path. The boy quickly followed her, confused on why she was running. Celeste was too, until she glanced down at her feet and found the she was standing on top of the pond, literally walking on water.

Stunned, Celeste walked around, seeing if her strange new ability held. It did and she was able to walk on the entire pond, scaring the ducks swimming around. Suddenly realizing something, Celeste grabbed the ruby around her neck and remembered what Sofia had told her.

" _It's the Amulet of Avalor and it can do so many things._ "

Perhaps the amulet had given her a power, a method help get her to Enchancia.

Ecstatic, Celeste ran back to the docks. She went down a far pier that didn't have a ship or people around. Then she leaped onto the water, not sinking but standing on top of it. Twirling with glee, excitement, and curiosity, Celeste began to run. She spotted the boat headed to Enchancia leaving the docks and she went up to it. Struck with an idea, Celeste grabbed a rope that was dangling down the side of the boat. Now she could be pulled all the way to Enchancia. For free!

* * *

After two hours the boat arrived in Enchancia, dragging Celeste along with her. Her legs were quite tired from standing constantly and her stomach was growling with hunger. So when she climbed onto Enchancia's dock, a place filled with song and movement as the sailors moved along and people unpacked the ships, Celeste was drawn to a stand selling grilled bass and flounder. But it cost money, money she didn't have. And she knew that merchants weren't willing to accept her jewelry as trade.

But her hunger was all consuming and she knew without food, she couldn't go on. So, when the merchant left to use a nearby bush when his bladder was full, Celeste ducked into the back of his stall where pans of fish were cooking over a fire. She grabbed the smallest one, wrapped it in brown paper, and ran away. She quickly ate the fish, relishing in the taste and flavor, then threw her trash into the sea to hide evidence. And yet again, Celeste did not notice her amulet glowing a dark red.

* * *

"Thank you so much," Celeste said again, thanking the family she was riding with. A father and mother were traveling across Enchancia from the docks and had let Celeste join them so long as she helped watch their three year old twin boys.

"Oh, it's our pleasure dear," the mother, Jade, replied. She had dark short hair and was wearing a shapeless blue dress with black square framed glasses on her face. Celeste, though, did not know that this was the Jade Sofia had been friends with when she was young.

"After all, Timmy and Tommy seem to adore you," the father, Marcus, added. He was a tall man with strong arms, hinting at his job of being a blacksmith. The couple had come to the docks to send their daughter, a twenty year old girl, off with her husband to another kingdom. Now they were journeying back to their village, Dunwiddie, and were planning to drop Celeste off at Mystic Meadows which was on their way.

"And I like them too," Celeste said, looking at the napping boys in the back of the cart. They both had dark hair and copper eyes, though you couldn't tell when they were asleep.

Hours passed in silence. When the boys woke up Celeste climbed into the back of the cart and played with them. Other times, when the cart stopped so the donkey, Coco, could get a drink, Celeste ran around with the boys, trying to burn off their energy. Eventually evening came and the boys fell asleep again. Jade and Marcus, though, stayed awake, planning to drive through the night.

"Dear, are you okay?" Jade asked Celeste as the sun set. They were both sitting in the front seat of the cart as Marcus took a cat nap before he continued to drive through the night. "You're skin, it doesn't look right."

"What?" Celeste muttered and looked at her arm as the long loose sleeve fell away. And, indeed, something didn't look right. It looked almost like someone had painted silver scales all over her skin that shimmered in the fading light. But they weren't pretty. Rather, they looked dirty and unnatural.

"Jade, darling, am I just tired or is there something poking out of the back of that girl's dress?" Marcus called sleepily from the back of the cart as he woke up. Jade glanced at Celeste's back and nearly jumped out of her skin. What looked like a gray fish's fin was poking out of her dress. Celeste ran her hands along the fin and quickly grabbed her dark red cloak next to her and pulled it on, covering her back.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Celeste assured the couple as Marcus climbed into the front seat.

"It almost reminds me of something that happened to my friend," Jade mused.

"I'm fine," Celeste insisted. "Really."

"If you're sure….," Jade sighed. Celeste nodded. "Then get some sleep. We'll be at Mystic Meadows in the morning."

"Thank you," Celeste replied and climbed into the back of the cart, curling up on the hard pain-inducing wood with a thin blanket and fell asleep.

* * *

"Ah! A giant fish!" Timmy screamed when he woke up and found Celeste standing over him. Celeste jumped back as the child leaped up and climbed to his parents that were in the front seat of the cart.

Celeste, startled, found a dusty mirror in a bag and looked into it. The scales had spread to her face and fins were sprouting from her cheeks. Gills covered her neck, though she could still breathe air. She truly looked like a human fish and was terrifying. Fear shut Celeste's throat and made her heart speed up.

"What's going on?" Marcus asked his son as he sobbed. Timmy pointed behind him and Jade and Marcus turned around. However, all they saw was Tommy still soundly asleep, Celeste nowhere to be seen

* * *

Celeste was gasping when she paused from her running. Upon seeing her reflection, she'd realized she couldn't stay with Jade and Marcus and their boys. They would be terrified of her. So she'd leaped off the cart and ran into the woods, hoping to find a place to hide. But now she was lost, somewhere on a dirt path, deep in the woods.

Seeing no alternative, Celeste pulled her sleeves down to cover hands and pulled the hood of her cloak over her head, hiding her face in its shadow. Then she continued down the path, hoping to find someone who could give her directions.

Eventually she found a wealthy family, a mother and her two teenage sons, no doubt the family of a knight. They were walking towards Celeste, past deep pond filled with ducks and fish, but she knew that they wouldn't help her. They were 'too good' to help her.

But as she watched the family she noticed a young girl, no older than twelve, approach them from the trees. She held out a small cup, her face streaked with dirt and dress filled with holes. She was homeless, there was no doubt about it.

"Please," she begged, her big blue watery eyes staring at the wealthy family. "Please, anything you can spare. Please."

The mother huffed and walked past the girl, followed by her older son. But the younger one paused.

"Mother, she's dirty," he called to the woman. She rolled her eyes.

"Don't pay any attention to her," she told him, going back and taking his arm. "She's just a beggar. Won't amount to anything."

The boy nodded and ran ahead to catch up with his big brother. The woman then glared at the young girl who held out her cup.

"Please," she said again, voice small. The woman snarled and gave the girl and hard shove, sending her stumbling backwards into the deep pond. Then the family walked away, ignoring the struggles of the girl who clearly couldn't swim.

Celeste dashed forward and ran onto the water, not sinking. She grabbed the girl's hand and pulled her to the surface, letting her take in a deep breath. Then Celeste dragged her to the shore and laid her on the ground.

"Are you okay?" Celeste asked her, kneeling by her side. The girl coughed, spitting up water, and nodded.

"Thank you," she said once she could.

"Of course," Celeste replied and stood up.

The girl was shivering, cold water dripping from her skin. She was skinnier than a tree, just skin and bones. The dirt on her face was now streaked and looked worse than before. Pity welled up in Celeste before she could walk away.

"Here," she offered and held out her golden bracelet. "For you. Just sell it in a pawn shop first."

"Thank you," the girl gasped as she took the gold in her hand, her blue eyes wide. "I know I don't have much, but is there something you need? You've done so much for me I want to repay you."

"Well….could you tell me how to get to Mystic Meadows?" Celeste inquired.

"Sure," the girl responded and pointed down the road. "This path will take you right to front gate. Just take a left at the oak tree with the knot hole."

"Thank you," Celeste said and started to walk away. As she did, she caught her reflection in the pond's water. Her skin was pale and white, free of scales, and the fin from her back had disappeared. She was back to normal.

* * *

"And you're sure she's coming here?" James inquired. Sofia and Hugo sat across from him in the king's study, a large room filled with books and a wide desk that James was now sitting behind. Ruby stood behind his cushioned chair, bouncing Harrison, her fifth and youngest son, on her hip.

"Absolutely," Sofia replied and slid the golden circular locket the guards had found over to James. "We found this in the room she stayed at. She's looking for him."

"Cedric?" Ruby wondered, looking over her husband's shoulder to look at the portrait in the open locket

"Are you sure?" James asked.

"Yes," Sofia told him. "Is he here?"

"I'm sorry, but no," James sighed. "Our new sorcerer, Wendell the Willful, took over his workshop since I fired Cedric a few years ago."

"Why?" Hugo asked.

"There were some rumors going around the kingdom. Rumors that he had been….attracted to Sofia," James admitted while his sister's jaw dropped. "And when Tilda got older and had those white streaks in her hair, well, the kingdom though the romance wasn't one sided. They thought Tilda was Cedric's daughter, not Hugo's."

"That's not possible," Hugo insisted. Then he realized it may very well be since he had no idea who his daughter's real parents had been.

"It's what the people thought, not me," James assured the couple in front of him. "Anyway, the rumors were bringing a lot of bad feelings on the royal family. Cedric was getting old anyway so I let him enter into an early retirement. I think he lives in his parents' old house in Mystic Meadows."

"Thank you," Hugo told him and stood, pulling Sofia up with him who was in a state of shock. James nodded and Ruby waved halfheartedly as the baby on her hip burped. Hugo and Sofia then exited the study and quickly walked down the halls of the castle Sofia had grown up in.

"Cedric and I were friends," Sofia told Hugo after a few tense moments of silence. "If anything, I viewed him as a father."

"I know," Hugo replied.

"And he never had any intentions toward me, I promise." Sofia talking as they exited the castle and walked over to their horses waiting by the stables.

"Sofia," Hugo said, stopping her rambling. He faced her and she stared at her feet, blue eyes pinned to the ground. "I know you. And I know you would never do anything like that. It's just bored people spreading lies about good people."

"Thank you," Sofia muttered and looked up, her eyes meeting his. "I love you."

"I love you too," Hugo told her and the pair quickly kissed before mounting their horses and taking off again.


	7. A Mother

Chapter Seven

A Mother

Celeste walked up to the arch that was the entrance to Mystic Meadows. Inside were sorcerers and sorceresses with gray hair and wrinkled skin. Celeste walked through the Meadow quickly, stopping twice to ask for directions. They all pointed her to a small section of the Meadow towards the back. Across a small footbridge was a cottage with a thatch roof and wooden beams on the stone building.

Taking a deep breath, fearing the worst, Celeste knocked on the door. There was a scuffling inside and the large wooden door swung open. Standing in front of her, his short black hair streaked with more white than the portrait in the locket, his green bow crooked, his purple robes dragging on the ground, was Cedric the Sensational, ex Royal Sorcerer of Enchancia.

"What? What is it? Who are you?" Cedric barked, tucking his wand into his robes.

"Uh….I'm Celeste," she told him. "I was hoping to talk to you."

"Well then I'm afraid to tell you no," Cedric drawled and started to close the door.

"Please! I think you knew my mother!" Celeste cried out and stuck her foot out, blocking the door. She untied the bag around her waist and held it up, showing him the _C_ inside the star. "This was hers."

"Uh….I'm….," Cedric stuttered, staring at the bag. "How did you get that?"

"It's my mother's," Celeste answered.

"Come in," Cedric grumbled and swung open the door. Celeste hurriedly dashed in, afraid he may change his mind. But he didn't and flicked his wand to light the candles around the house. Glass vials and pipes made up some contraption on a desk in the back of the main room, full of bubbling potions and liquids of many colors. Awards from Cedric and his father covered one wall and ancient spell books in a bookcase covered another.

"So how did you know my mother?" Celeste asked. "You did know her, right?"

"I did," Cedric admitted, turning back to her. "How did you know to find me?"

"I found a golden locket, one with the same symbol on the bag engraved in it. It had your portrait in it," she explained. "I thought you may have been important to her."

"You wish for me to tell you who she was, explain some things, don't you?" Cedric realized. Celeste nodded. "I'll do that if you tell me why you ran away from a fabulous life in the palace of Amalgamate."

"Wha….What are you talking about?" Celeste stuttered, trying to hide who she had been.

"You may be wearing simple clothes and be covered in dirt but I've heard that Sofia's daughter is a spitting image of me. It's the reason I lost my job."

"You lost your job because of me? How?"

"Tell me your story and I'll tell you mine."

"Fine," Celeste sighed and Cedric conjured up two cushy chairs for them to sit in.

* * *

"So you ran away?" Cedric summed up. "Because you found out you were adopted?"

"And you were fired because I look like you," Celeste added.

"Another reason I despise the ruling family of Enchancia," Cedric muttered.

"So, can you tell me who my mother is? And why I look so much like you?" Celeste inquired.

"Your mother….she was my niece, Calista the Capricious," Cedric answered, eyes cloudy as he lost himself in memory.

"What happened to her?" Celeste demanded, hungry to know more. Her mother's name. She knew her mother's name. "Why did she travel to Amalgamate? Why was she all alone when she died? What was she like?"

"Calista was an eager child, always looking for someone to please. She liked nice things and, as she grew older, red wine," Cedric told her and she flushed. It looked like she had received that gene. "She was an adventurer and a dreamer. One day, after she had made a name for herself by being the most merciful sorceress, she found herself in a pub down by the docks. After a few too many drinks she met a knight and thought she'd fallen in love. It didn't help that the knight was a trickster and promised to marry her. They spent the night together and two weeks later Calista discovered she was with child. But the knight had left, gone back to his kingdom and forgotten all about my niece."

"What happened?" Celeste prompted as Cedric, her great-uncle, trailed off into silence.

"She brought such shame on the family. Her mother, my sister, kicked her out of her house. My parents, her grandparents, wouldn't take her in. Even I distanced myself from her, fearful that I would get fired for her mistakes, which I did, just not in the way I expected," Cedric sighed. "Alone and forsaken, she traveled to Amalgamate. I don't know what happened after that. I didn't even know she'd died, though I thought about it." He pulled a folded piece of paper out of his robe pocket and handed it to her. "This is the last letter she ever wrote me."

Celeste took it slowly and carefully opened it, afraid of damaging it. The letter was written in faded black ink, the penmanship stunning.

 _Dear Uncle Cedy,_

 _I've arrived in Amalgamate. I'm hoping to get a ride to the castle to talk to Queen Sofia. You remember the time we all met Merlin together? I'm hoping she might help me since no one else will. Mummy and Grandpa & Grandma have stopped reading my letters, they just send them back. You're the only one who will keep them, though you never write back. But I understand. _

_After I talk with Sofia and my child is born, I may travel to Zumaria and find Vaughn. I think he would like to meet his child. At least I hope he would. If not, I think I'll stay in Amalgamate. Their Royal Sorcerer is getting old. Perhaps I can take over. Then my child can be raised in the palace! Oh, one can dream I suppose._

 _Please tell Mummy and Grandpa & Grandma I'm sorry and I love them. I love you too, Uncle Cedy._

 _Love,_

 _Calista_

"Vaughn….," Celeste read, tracing the word with her fingers. "Sir Vaughn, of Zumaria. Is he my father?"

"Yes," Cedric admitted. "And she never got the job. Elliot the Excellent is your Royal Sorcerer, correct?"

"Yes," Celeste replied. "So you never thought to find her? She clearly cared about you if she carried your picture in a locket around with her."

"I gave her that locket for her eighteenth birthday, before she brought shame upon our family name," Cedric spat out. "And I do regret it, at times. Maybe I can make up for my past with you."

"Really?"

"Why not? I have a big house and get bored so often in this awful retirement village." Cedric stood up and picked up the tea kettle on a counter near the wall. "Do you like black or white tea?"

"White," Celeste replied and leaned back in her chair. As she did the amulet, whose chain had been twisted, hiding the gem, flipped and revealed the ruby. It seemed to sparkle in the candlelight and the minute Cedric saw it he dropped the tea kettle. It shattered on the wooden ground but Cedric barely noticed.

"Is….is that the Amulet of Avalor?" he stuttered, pointing a knotted finger at the jewel. Celeste looked down and stared at the ruby.

"Yes," she answered. "My mo-….Queen Sofia gave it to me on my eighteenth birthday. Or at least, what I thought was my birthday. Why? Do you know something about it?"

"Yes, quite a bit actually," Cedric replied, hurriedly dashing over to his large bookshelves. He searched the shelves then pulled out a thick one and threw it onto a table in the house. Celeste cautiously approached as he turned the yellowed pages.

"Is that it?" she asked, pointing to a picture of a purple jewel that looked like her amulet. "Why is it purple?"

"A while ago the amulet absorbed Queen Sofia's blood, causing it to change color," Cedric explained. "But that's not important."

"What is?"

"Do you know what the amulet does?"

"Give me powers?"

"So you've gotten some?!"

"Uh, yes. I can walk on water."

"Fascinating," Cedric breathed. Celeste was getting a little creeped out with his fascination.

"So….what else does it do?" she prompted. Cedric jumped and pointed to the words in the book.

"The book explains it right here. ' _For each deed performed, for better or worse, a power is granted, a blessing or curse_ ,'" he read.

"A curse?" Celeste repeated.

"Yes. Have you been cursed yet?"

"I grew gills and fish scales. A fin poked out of my back. I had no idea what was going on."

"You were cursed. Can you remember any bad deed you did that could have caused it?"

"Um….I stole some fish from a merchant down at the docks."

"That would explain the scales. How did you break it?"

"How _do_ you break the curses?"

"By doing something nice."

"The beggar!" Celeste exclaimed. "I saved a beggar girl from drowning!"

"That definitely would've done it," Cedric replied and turned to stare at the amulet. "I've spent my life hunting that gem."

"Why?" Celeste asked, suddenly cautious, her hand over it. The amulet was her connection to her past life. It had given her powers that had let her find out who she was. It was important to her and she didn't want to part with it.

"I'm….a sorcerer. I've always had a fascination with magical items," Cedric said vaguely and looked out his window at the setting sun. "It's late. Why don't you sleep on the couch down here and we can talk more in the morning."

"Alright," Celeste agreed and walked over the couch. Cedric flicked his wand and conjured a blanket. Then he blew out all the candles and disappeared to the upstairs while Celeste drifted into an uneasy sleep. Something was bothering her but she didn't know what. So, instead of worrying, she thought of the discovery of her mother and her great-uncle and dreamt of them.

* * *

Celeste suddenly bolted awake as she felt icy fingers touch her bare neck. She pushed her back into the sofa she was lying on and looked up at the man looming over her, his one hand on her amulet the other trying to get it off her neck.

"Uncle Cedric?" Celeste gasped.

"Celeste, you're awake?" Cedric screeched and leaped back. Celeste sat straight up reached out, pulling her dark red cloak over her.

"What were you doing?" she demanded, though she already knew.

"I….I was just….um," Cedric stuttered, wringing his hands nervously. Celeste stood up and crossed her arms over her chest, hiding her amulet.

"You were trying to steal the Amulet of Avalor," she accused. Cedric stuttered some more but didn't deny it. "You don't care about me at all, do you?"

"Well, why would?" Cedric suddenly demanded, clearly fed up. "You're the daughter of my niece who humiliated our family! You caused Calista to lose her good name and you doomed to her to death! Then, as you grew, you cost me my job! If it weren't for you I would still be the Royal Sorcerer of Enchancia! And now you show up at my door expecting me to welcome you in and give you a home! So I apologize if I don't care about you at all! You were nothing but a _mistake_!"

Frozen silence lingered after his words. Tears welled up in Celeste eyes and she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She was not going to cry and further humiliate herself.

"Fine," she said, her tone clipped and short. "I understand. I'll leave."

"Not with that amulet, you won't," Cedric growled, pulling his long wand out of his robes, holding it. "I've worked too hard for too many years to lose it again."

"Why do you want it so much?" Celeste demanded, fist clutching her jewel, trying to protect it.

"Because I deserve to be king not that stuck up, snobby, foolish boy, James! He only cares about his family's name, not good people who have served his family for years! I deserve that crown more than him!" Cedric yelled and fired a spell.

The white light shot towards Celeste who spun out of the way. Suddenly terrified for her life, now fully understanding what she'd gotten herself into, she ran up the stairs of the small cottage as her great-uncle fired more spells at her. Celeste finally reached the top of the stairs and saw a window.

"You've got nowhere to run, you wretched girl!" Cedric shouted as he climbed the stairs, walking slowly due to his old age.

But Celeste wasn't listening. She was digging through her mother's bag at her hip, hoping something could help her. The wand wouldn't, she couldn't remember any spells at the moment. The letter Cedric had given her was also there but it would do no good. That only left the three liquids Celeste now knew as potions. She pulled them out and tried to guess what they did but she didn't have time. She had to take a chance.

So she chose one of the three, the one with a swirling orange liquid, and she threw it at the window. The vial hit the glass, cracking it. Then the vial fell to the floor and smashed. As soon as the liquid was free it exploded, sending fire and smoke up, blasting a hole through the wall.

Cedric yelled when he heard the noise and started to run up the stairs. Meanwhile, Celeste stomped down the small flames burning on the wooden floor and charged to the hole in the wall. She was only two stories up and beneath her was a pond. Grinning, Celeste jumped. The wind blew her twin braids around her head and she landed on the pond, the water cushioning her landing. Thankfully, her power held and she was able to start running, towards the gate and out of Mystic Meadows while her great-uncle Cedric yelled and shot spells at her from the hole in the wall.


	8. A Father

Chapter Eight

A Father

Celeste ran down the dark road leading away from Mystic Meadows, only concerned with getting away. But after some hard running she stopped to catch her breath and realized she had no plan now. She had nowhere to go and no family. Her mother was dead and her great-uncle wanted to use her. She had nothing.

Slumping against a tree, she reached into the bag at her hip and pulled out her mother's wand. Remembering some spells for sorcery class at Royal Prep, Celeste managed to conjure a fire for warmth. She stared at the orange flames slowly burning some twigs she'd found on the ground and thought about what to do next. As she dug around in her mother's bag she found the letter she had written. Not knowing what else to do, Celeste pulled it out. Her eyes were drawn to one word. _Vaughn_. Her father's name.

Suddenly hopeful, Celeste pocketed the letter and started walking to the docks. Her mother was dead. Fine. Her great-uncle just wanted to use her. Whatever. She would just find the last person she could turn to. Her father.

So, with the moon as her guide, much too awake to sleep the rest of the night away, Celeste headed to the docks to hitch a ride on a boat going to Zumaria to find her father, Sir Vaughn the knight.

* * *

Sofia and Hugo landed their horses outside of Mystic Meadows just as the sun began to rise. They quickly walked through the village, waving hello to all the old sorcerers and sorceresses out for walks and headed over the little footbridge that led to Cedric the Sensational's house. Only part of the second story wall was smoking and bits of rubble littered the pond right under it.

Curious and cautious, Sofia knocked on the door. There was a lot of scuffling inside, then Cedric opened the door. Sofia smiled when she saw him for he was still his old grumpy self, though his hair was much whiter and his wrinkles were much deeper.

"Queen Sofia!" Cedric gasped when he saw her. His eyes dropped, as they he couldn't bear to meet her blue ones. "What are you doing here?"

"My husband, Hugo, and I are looking for someone," Sofia told him. "A young girl with black hair and white streaks in the front. She has hazel eyes and should be wearing my old amulet. Have you seen her?"

"Why would you think I would've seen her?" Cedric quipped.

"Because we found this at the last place she had stayed," Hugo explained, holding out the circular golden locket engraved with the star and the _C_. "She forgot it but it has your portrait in it. We think she may have been trying to find you."

"You don't say?" Cedric stuttered, looking everywhere but at the royal couple.

"You _have_ seen her, haven't you?" Hugo exclaimed. He knew the signs of a guilty man and Cedric was one. "What have you done to her?"

"Nothing!" Cedric assured them. "I only answered her questions about her mother."

"Who is her mother?" Sofia asked.

"You don't know?" Cedric wondered. "After all, you adopted her."

"The woman never told the orphanage her name," Hugo told him while Sofia reeled that Cedric knew they were looking for their daughter. "We don't know who her mother was."

"Well, I'm still shocked you never figured it out," Cedric mumbled and opened his door wide. "Come in, come in. I'm guessing this is a conversation you'd like to stay hidden."

"Yes, thank you Cedric," Sofia replied. "You promise you won't tell anyone?"

"Of course I won't," he sighed. "Now, I must admit I've only just learned who her mother is. The things your daughter….."

"Tilly," Sofia offered.

"Though she likes to be called Tilda," Hugo added.

"Not anymore," Cedric told them. "She's going by her birth name, Celeste."

"Celeste?" Sofia repeated.

"Anyway, the things she had with her, her mother's things, told me who she was," Cedric continued. "And it just so happens that your daughter is my great-niece."

"She's Calista's daughter?" Sofia exclaimed.

"Who's Calista?" Hugo asked.

"My niece," Cedric explained. "She 'fell in love' one night and ruined our family name. She fled to Amalgamate seeking an audience with Queen Sofia, hoping she may help her, but she died before she had a chance."

"She was coming to see me?" Sofia repeated, her voice small.

"Yes," Cedric answered. "She was hoping to be your new Royal Sorcerer, raise her child in the palace."

"And we hired Elliot the Excellent," Hugo sighed.

"So you told Tilly, Celeste, who her mother was," Sofia summed up. "Where is she? Why wouldn't she stay with you, her last living family?"

"Well, you see, that was the plan," Cedric replied. "But she found the last letter Calista had wrote me. Her other family had stopped accepting them. Anyway, in the letter Calista mentions wanting to find Vaughn, Celeste's father, in Zumaria. Last night Celeste stole the letter. I tried to convince her to stay, accidently cornered her, and she used a potion to blow a hole in my wall. She leaped out and ran off into the night, no doubt headed for Zumaria."

"That's Vivian's kingdom," Hugo said.

"We have to go after her," Sofia declared and stood up. "Thank you, Cedric, for all your help. You really are a good friend." And she gave him a hug, remembering all the times he had helped her when she was just a young girl trying to find out how to be a princess. Cedric guilty hugged her back, remembering all the times he had deceived and lied to the sweet girl.

"Wait," Hugo suddenly said. "Her father's name is Vaughn. As in, Sir Vaughn, the knight? As in, the champion Flying Derby racer for the Junior Knights Academy?"

"The one and only," Cedric answered as he and Sofia broke apart.

"Well, I'm sure he'll be happy to see us," Hugo muttered, remembering the last time he had seen them, when he and Sofia and beaten him for the Flying Crown as children. No doubt the reunion would not be easy, especially considering he was the biological father of their daughter.

"Let's go," Sofia told Hugo and took his hand, leading him out of the house. The pair quickly mounted their horses, their patience and determination never wavering, and they took to the skies, heading off to find their daughter.

* * *

After hanging onto a ship while standing on the water, being drug across the sea, Celeste climbed onto the docks of Zumaria. She quickly began moving since this kingdom was known of its crime rates. She slipped her amulet down the tight bodice of her dress and looked around for a kind person to ask for directions.

"Excuse me?" she called to a gray haired women with blue eyes and two little boys clutching her legs. The women turned and took a step back, wary of Celeste. "Can you tell me where the knights live? Preferably Sir Vaughn?"

"The knights practice at Lake Riding, about ten miles east," the women told her then dashed away. In fact, everyone around the docks was the same away, heads down, trying to avoid trouble or maybe cause some.

Trying to imitate them so she didn't make herself an easier target, Celeste began to walk down a wide dirt road that led east.

After walking for more than two hours Celeste came upon a lake in a grassy field surrounded by all sorts of training equipment, separated from the wild by a simple white fence. Inside, knights wearing many colors and crest trained, dueling each other or using the equipment. And watching their progress was ginger haired prince that Celeste knew from her school days.

"Louis?" she called and he turned. His big green eyes were framed by long lashes and he had developed sideburns which framed his round face. He wore a navy blue jacket and pants with a raspberry undershirt. Gone was the boyish innocence and shyness from his eyes. Now they were strong and commanding, they eyes of a prince who knew his kingdom was in trouble and that he would have to save it.

"Tilda?" Louis exclaimed, jaw dropping. He had heard that the princess had run away. And the two of them had never been friends so he was stunned that she was coming to him.

"Actually, it's Celeste now," she corrected him.

"What are you doing here? Are you okay? Rigel started all these rumors about you. Are they true?" Louis questioned.

"Yes, I'm adopted," Celeste answered. "Yes, I ran away to find my parents. No, I'm not a princess."

"Wow," Louis gaped. "That's crazy. You were always so good at being a princess." Celeste smiled slightly, remembering how she had loved learning to be the best. "What are you doing here?"

"I found out my father is a knight in your kingdom. His name is Sir Vaughn," Celeste explained. "Do you know where he is?"

"Probably at his manor," Louis replied, his fingers tapping his thighs. He always did that. It was a side effect of him being a drummer. "It's about twenty miles north of here. It has three towers and a huge garden with animals sculpted from bushes. You can't miss it."

"Thank you, Louis," Celeste told him and started to walk away.

"Tilda! I mean, Celeste!" Louis called after her and she spun back around. "You're different. Since you've run away. You've changed."

"Really?" Celeste wondered. It didn't feel like she'd changed. It felt like she was lost, stripped of everything that had made her who she was. Maybe that's what Louis meant. She was less than what she'd been.

"And, uh, your parents," Louis continued. "Queen Sofia and King Hugo. They're looking for you."

"Really?"

"But I won't tell them I saw you. I have a feeling you don't want to be found."

For as shy as Louis was he certainly had a way of sensing people's emotions.

"Thank you," Celeste said again. "You're a good person, Louis. You'll make a kind King."

And then Celeste disappeared down a road, into the woods, searching for her father's home.

* * *

As the moon rose Celeste came upon the manor, its three towers looking like guards dressed in shadows. The gardens that stretched to the sides of the home, filled with animals made from bushes, looked like a haunted maze. And the house itself was made of black and gray stone, most of its windows dark.

A chill blew on the wind and Celeste, hand over her amulet, took a deep breath and walked up the three stone steps that led to the tall dark door with a golden serpent knocker. Steeling her nerves, Celeste clanked it, the sound echoing in the silence of the night.

After a few moments the door swung open. A tall man with a paunchy belly stood in the door frame, greasy brown hair plastered on his scalp. But he had the same pale skin that Celeste had and the same long fingers, though his were calloused from holding a sword and a lance. His small eyes were a dark color, no doubt what had caused the black ring around Celeste's irises. He wore cream colored pants that were tucked into black leather boots and a black jacket covered his white undershirt that was stained yellow.

"What?" the man grumbled, his voice low and gruff. "Do you know what time it is, girl?"

"I'm so sorry," Celeste instantly apologized and dipped low, thinking a curtsy may be appropriate since she was nothing but a peasant now. "But I've been looking for you for a while and I have some news I think you may want to hear."

"Eh? And what is that?" the man asked.

"You are Sir Vaughn, correct?" Celeste inquired first, wanting to make sure she had the right knight.

"Yes," Vaughn huffed. "Otherwise known as the Vaughn the Venomous." He tapped a pin on his jacket. It depicted a crest with a serpent on a shield.

"Well, Sir Vaughn, this may be a shock, but…."

"Out with it, girl! I don't have all night!"

"I'm your daughter."


	9. A New Family

Chapter Nine

A New Family

"My daughter?" Vaughn repeated.

"Dear, who's at the door?" a shrill female voice called from inside the house. A skinny woman in a full light blue skirt with blond hair piled into a tight, pulling her glittering gray eyes back. She put her small hand on Vaughn's arm, a gold band glittering on her ring finger.

"Apparently, my daughter," Vaughn told her, his voice snide and cruel. The woman laughed, her voice catty and mean.

"Sir Vaughn, I promise I am," Celeste insisted. "I'm Calista's daughter. I have a letter from her that states that you are my father."

"Calista?" Vaughn repeated. "We never had a child."

"Who's Calista?" the woman wondered, not jealous, merely curious.

"An old girl who thought she was in love with me," Vaughn replied. "I stopped seeing her, though, when I discovered she practiced the magical arts."

"You mean you left her because she was a sorceress?" Celeste asked.

"I don't converse with people who deal with the Devil's arts," Vaughn snapped. "And if you really are my daughter you'll understand that."

"Here," Celeste offered and pulled the folded paper out of her mother's bag at her waist. "This is the letter. I was hoping that when you realized I was your daughter I could stay with you, be a family, and find out who I am."

Vaughn took it in his large meaty hands and quickly scanned it, his eyes narrowing as he read further. When he finally looked up he whispered to his wife and they conversed quickly and quietly. When they parted Celeste could swear her heart was frozen with fear. If her father wouldn't take her where could she go?

"Your name. Celeste, isn't it?" Vaughn finally asked.

"Yes," Celeste answered.

"Calista gave it to you?" Vaughn continued.

"Yes," Celeste said again.

"I don't like it," Vaughn said. "It's a sorceress's name. And I will not have a sorceress in my home."

"Uh….Then what would like my name to be?" the black haired girl wondered.

"What about Della," the woman suggested, smiling at her husband. "You always said if we had a daughter then we'd name her Della."

"Alright," Celeste, now Della, replied. "Della it is."

"It'll do," Vaughn sighed. "Now, listen Della. We have three sons, all under the age of eight and we need a nanny. If you'd like to stay here you'll have to do that."

"Sure," Della agreed, pushing a white streak of hair behind her ear, ready to agree to anything as long as she could stay.

"And don't expect us to tell the whole kingdom you're my daughter," Vaughn added. "That will have to stay a secret. If anyone knew my reputation will be ruined."

"I understand," Della replied.

"Well, then, come on in," Vaughn sighed and opened the door wider, letting Della walk into the lavish manor and into her new life.

* * *

Vaughn introduced Della to his wife, Trinity, and then showed her to a dusty room that used to belong to one of their maids before he'd fired her. The room was no bigger than a broom closet and had a thin mattress with an old gray blanket. A thin window on the one wall let in a few beams of silver moon light. Trinity told her to go to sleep and that she would meet the boys tomorrow. Grateful and happy, though she was a little concerned about the room since she had been hoping for something else, she laid down and fell asleep, dreaming about the possibilities of her future.

* * *

"The boys sleep up here," Trinity told Della as they climbed up the stairs of one of the three towers. She had gotten a nice sleep, despite the conditions. "You'll spend most of your time up here as well, watching little Riley. He's only a few months old. Avery, my eight year old boy, will spend most of his time outside with his father. And Koby, he's five, will come and go. Any questions?"

"I don't think so," Della replied.

"Wonderful," Trinity said. "The servants will be running errands throughout the manor. Pay them no mind. If they ask, say you're our new nanny. If any of them start to get too nosey, let me know. Vaughn doesn't want anyone finding out who you _really_ are.

" _I don't even know that is_ ," Della thought, her hand brushing the dust from the stone wall as she climbed up the endless staircase.

"Is there going to be any time for me to get know my fath- Vaughn?" Della asked, stumbling over the correction.

"Maybe later," Trinity replied, not really caring, as they reached the wooden door that led to the boy's room. "For now, just take care of my boys."

"Will do," Della promised, though she felt let down. She really wanted to know her father, learn what made them the same.

"Boys!" Trinity called as she walked into the room. It was circular, with two beds and a crib in the back. Tall shelves flanked one wall and a fireplace sat on the other side, a few coals still smoldering. A colorful rug covered the stone floor and windows let in bright early morning sunlight.

A tall boy, about the height of Trinity's stomach, ran forward and embraced his mother. His hair was dirty blond and his eyes were gray, but young and bright. He had a smile that was missing a few teeth and chubby cheeks. Della felt her knees buckle when she saw the dark circle around his irises. It just hit that these three boys she was going to be watching were her half-brothers. They were her family.

"Mummy, Avery took my sword!" another boy, this one smaller with darker hair and eyes, howled from his seat on the floor near the fireplace, his hand hovering over the coals to warm them. He was clearly the five year old, Koby. Della noticed that the boy clinging to his mother's leg, Avery, did indeed have a small wooden sword in his fat fist.

"Well then, you'll have to take it back from him," Trinity told her son and went over to a crib in the back of the room, pushing Avery away. "As your father says, a man takes what he wants."

Della frowned. That didn't seem like good parenting or advice.

"Then give it back!" Koby yelled at Avery. He stood up and ran forward. Avery rolled his eyes and whacked his brother with the wooden sword while their mother pulled a baby with light blond hair and glittering gray eyes out of the crib. He was small, much smaller than he should have been.

"Della," Trinity called and she walked forward. "This is little Riley. Take very good care of him."

"I will," Della assured her and took the baby in her arms. He blinked at her lazily then closed his eyes, seeking sleep.

"Boys," Trinity said and her two sons who were fighting on the floor looked up. "This is Della. She's your new nanny."

"Hello," they both greeted then went back to fighting for the wooden sword.

Trinity sighed at their antics then quickly left the room, vanishing back down the stairs. Della watched the two boys fight and, after a few moments, couldn't take it anymore. She put Riley back in his crib then walked over to the quarrelling boys.

"Hey!" they exclaimed as Della plucked the sword from them and put it on a high shelf.

"Give it back or I'll tell Mummy!" Avery demanded, his pasty face red with anger. Della just shook head and sat down on the ground.

"Now why would you do that when I can give you something better?" she asked.

"What can you give us?" Koby wondered, toddling towards her. "You're poor."

"Maybe," Della replied. "But I wasn't always. Let's go outside and I promise you'll like it."

The two boys glanced at each other before they nodded. Della smiled, picked up Riley, and together they descended the long long staircase.

* * *

"So the rules of horseshoes are simple," Della told them. She had taken the boys to their gardens and found their stables which had plenty of horse shoes and a peg for her to use. She remembered when she went to the Tri-Kingdom picnic that all the princes of Enchancia really liked the game flying horseshoes. But since Della's father didn't have any of those, she made due with what she had.

She had drawn a line in the dirt and stuck the peg in the ground. Then she went over the rules with the boys and gave them each three horseshoes. They threw them and had fun, laughing and mocking each other as they missed, while Della watched from the sidelines, holding and playing with baby Riley.

For about an hour they played, the sun warming their skin. The boys even let Della take a few turns, though she was horrible at it. For once in her life, she began to understand the love of siblings. She did really enjoy her time with her half-brothers. They were starting to feel like real brothers.

But then Vaughn came storming around the manor, a dark green tunic and helmet on, sword in its hilt at his hip. His face was red with anger and his dark eyes were narrowed.

"Avery!" he barked. "You missed training!"

The little boy jumped, still holding a horseshoe he'd been about to throw, and turned to his father, small limbs trembling.

"The servants have been looking all over the manor for you and you're in the garden playing some party game?" Vaughn roared. Avery took a step back. Koby dropped to all fours and crawled over to Della, digging his face into her skirt. Watching her brothers, trembling and afraid, Della decided she needed to step in.

"It's my fault," she told her father, standing up. She passed Riley to Koby who held him clumsily. Then Della walked over and put a hand on Avery's shoulder, pulling him behind her. "I didn't know he had training and the boys were getting restless so I took them outside. If anyone is to blame, I am. And I apologize."

Vaughn looked like he was debating kicking her out of his house. But after a while he just shook his head.

"Just because you've dropped into our lives, girl, doesn't mean you can change how we do things around here," he exclaimed. "Avery has training with me every morning from eight to eleven on the weekends when he's not at school at the Junior Knights Academy. Then in afternoon Koby, and Avery if it's the weekend, both have training with me from one to six. No exceptions!"

"I'm sorry," Della apologized again. "It won't happen again."

"It better not," Vaughn growled and Della didn't miss the flexing of his fists. Then Vaughn grabbed Avery's arm and pulled him away, towards training. Della noticed how the bright light faded from his grey eyes and his head hung low, sad and depressed.

Koby stood up and carried Riley over to Della who had started to fuss. She cradled him in her arms, trying to calm him down, while Koby hid in her skirt again.

"It'll be alright," Della assured both the boys. She crouched down so she could look at Koby. "Why don't we go do something else?"

"Like what?" Koby asked.

"Hmm," she thought. "How about we look for something. Some little boys I knew loved looking in gardens for little green snakes." The memory of the princes of Enchancia covered in dirt, holding a small green squirming snake while Ruby screamed brought a smile to Della's face.

"Okay," Koby agreed and he and Della ran into the garden, searching under bushes and stones, the fear and sadness gone from the little boy.

* * *

By lunchtime Koby had found two green garden snakes which he proudly showed his mother at the dining hall, a grand room with brown walls and a wooden table for the family and guests to dine at. She just about fainted when Koby dropped the snakes on the white table cloth.

"Get those vile things out of here!" she screeched. Della dashed forward and grabbed them, though doing so made her squirm. She slipped them in her pockets, promising to Koby they'd be safe, then tried to calm Trinity down with the smelling salts a servant had brought.

After everyone had calmed down Trinity sent Della to the servants' quarters to eat lunch. A little shocked and offended, she left, passing Vaughn and Avery in the halls. Both were sweating and Avery had a black eye.

"What happened?" Della gasped and was instantly at her brother's side, examining it. There were also little cuts all over his face, red with drips of blood, that she hadn't noticed before.

"Oh, the boy just needs to get quicker on his feet," Vaughn muttered. "Now run along, girl. You have things to do after lunch."

"Sir Vaughn, may I talk with you for a moment?" Della requested, staying where she was. "Alone?"

"No," Vaughn replied, glaring at her. "Now run along."

Della frowned and glanced at Avery who was gesturing for her to leave, his gray eyes wide with fear. Della sighed, kissed her brother's bruise, and whispered get well wishes in his ear. Then she dashed to the dusty servants' quarters for a lunch of chicken broth and stale bread.

* * *

The next morning Della made the long climb up to the boys' room as fast as she could. At dinner, after training with their father, both Koby and Avery had been bruised up. Della had used every salve and medicine she could find in the house to help with their pain and swelling. As she had, she'd noticed scars all over the boys that she hadn't seen before. Now she was worried that they'd get further injured today.

But when she came to the room she found Avery and Koby standing over the crib, their eyes concerned as their youngest brother cried. Worried, Della walked up to them.

"What's wrong?" she asked the boys. Koby's dark eyes never left his blond brother but Avery turned to her, his missing tooth smile nowhere to be found.

"Riley isn't feeling well. He kept crying last night and now he's really hot," he told her. Della sucked in a deep breath and felt the baby's skin. It was definitely feverish. Worry began to knot her stomach. Riley was already a small child and he was very young. Fevers could be dangerous, perhaps even deadly.

"Avery, Koby," Della said, her voice shaking slightly. "Go find your parents. Tell them I sent you." The boys hesitated. "Now!"

They dashed out of the room, tripping over their feet, spurred on by their nanny's worry. For what felt like forever, Della paced the circular room, listening to Riley's cries.

Finally, Vaughn and Trinity arrived, led by their sons. Vaughn looked angry but Trinity looked merely curious. Avery and Koby both ran over to Della as soon as they entered the room.

"What's going on?" Trinity asked.

"Riley has a fever," Della told them, slowly and carefully. Trinity instantly became worried and dashed over to her son who was still crying. Vaughn's fingers curled into fists and he glared at Della.

"How did this happen?" he demanded.

"I don't know," Della admitted.

"I think you do!" Vaughn yelled, beginning to pace. "Ever since you knocked on our door, our sons have suffered! First Avery is late for his training and you tell Koby to stop being a man! Now Riley's sick! You're a plague on this house, a mistake!"

The words cut deep into Della's heart. Was that truly all she was?

"No, I promise I didn't mean it," Della whimpered, tears in her eyes. Avery and Koby took her hands, trying to offer comfort to the first person who showed them kindness. Vaughn noticed this and stormed forward while his wife tried to comfort her baby.

"Get away from my sons!" he roared and pushed Della and the boys apart. The boys stumbled to the floor while Della fell into the fireplace, the smoldering coals and tiny flames sending zips of pain up her nerves. She quickly leapt out and beat the flames before she was burned too badly. But now the dress she had took from the palace was charred and blackened and parts of her skin were pink with burns. The boys crawled backwards so their backs were pressed against a shelf, their eyes watching Della with fear.

"Vaughn…." Trinity started. But he just spun and glared at her so she stepped back, cradling a crying Riley against her chest.

"Now fix my son!" Vaughn ordered Della, spinning back to her.

"I can't," she told him. "He needs a doctor."

"Fine!" Vaughn exclaimed and left, storming down the stairs. Trinity placed Riley in his crib, still crying, and followed her husband. Then Della dashed over and began to look Avery and Koby over for injuries.

"Are you two okay?" she asked them.

"We're fine," Avery replied.

"You're hurt," Koby exclaimed, pointing at the shiny pink burns on her skin. Della quickly covered them with her dress, adjusting herself so they couldn't' be seen.

"I'll be fine," Della assured them. The boys nodded and Koby smile slightly. But Della was worried. For the first time, she realized the full power of her father and what her brothers had been living with for years.


	10. A Sickness

Chapter Ten

A Sickness

The doctor examined Riley carefully while the family waited outside the room, Della down the staircase a bit, separated from them. Trinity tried to comfort her sons but they didn't want it. Vaughn paced and Della rubbed a salve on her burns that the cook had given her.

Finally, the doctor came out of the room, his face grim. Trinity stood up and Vaughn turned to him, both eager for news.

"Well?" Vaughn prompted. "Did you fix him?"

"I'm sorry, Sir Vaughn, but your son cannot be healed," the doctor sighed. His wrinkled hands held the strap of a leather bag that held his healing tools and his light brown hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, tied with a red ribbon that matched his long black cloak.

"What do you mean?" Vaughn demanded, his anger beginning to take over.

"He's contracted the plague," the doctor explained. "He has a rash on his back and a fever. I'm sorry, but it's unlikely he'll live through the night."

Trinity clapped her hands to her mouth to stifle a sob. Avery's jaw dropped and Koby's eyes welled up with tears. Della staggered backwards, nearly falling down the stairs. The plague had traumatized her kingdom for years. She knew no one ever survived.

But Vaughn looked like he wanted to punch the doctor's eyes out.

"It would be wise if no one went into that room," the doctor advised. "I'll be back in the morning to….see him again." Della was grateful he didn't say ' _to pick up the body._ '

Then the doctor quickly trotted down the stairs, guilt hanging over him. Vaughn stormed down the stairs, flexing his fists, muttering something about going to train.

"Come along, boys," Trinity called to her sons as she started to follow her husband. "The servants till make up one of the guest rooms for you." Then she too left. Avery and Koby started to follow her but looked back to see if Della was coming. She wasn't.

"Della? What are you doing?" Avery asked as he watched her hand rest on the handle to the room that Riley lay in, all alone. "Aren't you coming?"

"You boys go," Della told them. "I'm going to keep Riley company for a bit."

"But what if you get sick?" Koby wondered, worried for his nanny.

"I can't leave Riley all alone. It's not right," Della explained. "Now go. I don't want you two getting sick as well."

"Alright," Avery sighed and he and Koby descended the staircase while Della went into the room where Riley was squirming in his crib. She placed a cool cloth on his forehead and tried to calm him with his favorite toys, not noticing that while she cared for the infant that the amulet around her neck was glowing once more.

* * *

"Sofia, Hugo, this is a surprise!" Vivian exclaimed as she walked down the halls of her castle, coming to where Sofia and Hugo stood in the front door. Vivian's black hair was pulled up in a half up-half-down style, a blue sapphire cocker around her neck. Her dress had a snug pink bodice tied up with blue ribbons and a full pink skirt that had diagonal lines in the white section down the front. Behind her was her husband, Desmond, whose ginger hair had grown out a bit since his childhood, sideburns lining his face and small scruff on his chin. A regal midnight blue coat and pants covered his body and tight black boots were on his feet.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"We're looking for someone," Hugo started.

"Your daughter?" Vivian cut him off. Sofia's eyes widened, wondering how on earth Vivian had known that. "Sofia, you must understand, gossip travels fast, especially amongst royals."

"True," Hugo agreed.

"So everyone knows….?" Sofia drifted off.

"That you adopted Tilda," Desmond guessed. "And that she's run away to find her parents."

"Sofia, why didn't you just tell us?" Vivian wondered. "We're your friends."

"We didn't lie," Sofia insisted. "She is our daughter, I just didn't give birth to her."

"But you were pregnant," Vivian remembered. "What happened?"

"Our first daughter, she….," Sofia tried to explain but her throat closed up with the memories.

"She died before she took a breath," Hugo finished.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Vivian said, taking Sofia's pale hands in hers. The two royal couples spent a moment in silence before they continued talking.

"We have reason to believe that our daughter is here, in Zumaria," Hugo finally said.

"Why?" Desmond asked. "Louis, Ida, and Camille aren't great friends with Tilda."

"Actually, she goes by her birth name, Celeste, now," Sofia put in.

"Her father is a knight from this kingdom," Hugo explained. "Sir Vaughn."

"He's retired," Desmond replied. "Lives about thirty miles from here, near Lake Riding."

"Thank you," Sofia replied and she and Hugo dashed out of the castle, to their flying horses so they could continue hunting for their daughter.

* * *

As the sun began to set, Della finally was able to get Riley to sleep. His rash had spread and now angry red and blue colors spread across his once soft skin. His blond hair was slick with sweat and his bleary gray eyes were closed as he slept. Della kept a careful eye on him, her brother, watching to make sure he kept breathing, though knowing nothing could save him. She'd heard about the plague when she'd lived in the palace but never seen it, nor cared. But now she was horrified and understood why the peasants feared it.

The door suddenly creaked open and Koby dashed, Avery at his heels. Koby ran forward and threw his arms around Della's legs while Avery hung back by the door, fearing the sickness.

"Hi, Della!" Koby greeted, his smile wide.

"What are you two doing here? I told you to stay away!" Della chastised. "Now get out!"

"We just wanted to see you," Koby whimpered, his grin falling.

"It was all his idea," Avery butt in. "All his fault. I only came to stop him."

"Nu-uh!" Koby protested. "You wanted to come too!"

"Well now you both have to…." Della drifted off as she caught sight of the side of Avery's forest green pants. They were cut and had been stitched together very badly with thick black thread. "What happened to your pants?"

"I stitched them up," Avery replied, arms crossed over his chest, guarded. Concerned, Della walked over and ran her hand over the stitches. They were clumsy and poorly done. It was clearly one of the first times Avery had stitched something.

"Why?" Della asked.

"Pa told me to," Avery answered.

Then Della noticed that dots of dark red were around the seams, staining the green pants. Curious, her nimble fingers working quickly, she undid the stitches. She gasped when she saw Avery's leg and looked into his sad gray eyes. He was clearly ashamed, for his leg had a deep red gash, the blood crusting. It looked fresh, as if he'd been cut this morning.

"Avery?" Della started. "Does your father use _real_ swords when training you?"

"Yep," he said.

"And did he do this?"

"Yep. He said I didn't move fast enough. Said it was my fault."

Horrified, Della went back to looking at the wound. She didn't know much about medicine, but she knew Avery should clean it and put a bandage on it to stop infection. Thinking hard, Della's fingers traced the gash. And as they did, her fingertips shimmered with a golden light and the wound began to close. After a few moments it was completely healed, leaving only a pale scar.

"How did you….?" Koby gasped, seeing the whole thing.

"What did you do?" Avery inquired, looking down at his healed leg as Della stepped back, staring at her fingers.

"I….uh….," she stuttered. "You must be a really fast healer. Now, uh, run along. I don't want you to get sick."

And Della ushered them out the door though they protested, slamming it shut behind them. Then, staring at her fingers, she began to pace. How had she done that? It was clearly magic. Did she have some sort of healing power?

The answer struck her like lightening.

Her amulet must have given her the power. Della touched the ruby, smiling slightly. Though she wondered what she had done to earn such a power. Was it because she had shown love to three boys who didn't get any from their father? Was it because she insisted Avery and Koby stay away? Or was it because she had chosen to comfort Riley in his last moments?

Riley! She could heal Riley!

Curious and hoping it would work, she approached the crib.

Suddenly the door swung open and an angry Vaughn followed by Trinity stormed in.

"Get away from my son!" Vaughn yelled, his face red with anger. He stepped forward, fists raised. "You will not hurt this family any longer!"

"I don't understand," Della exclaimed, stepping away from Riley, towards one of the wide windows that was opened to let in a soft night breeze. "What are you talking about?"

"You put a curse on Riley and now you've used your Devil's art on Avery!" Vaughn shouted. "He told us exactly what you did!"

"No, please, it isn't what you think!" Della insisted, suddenly understanding. "I was just trying to help."

"But you haven't!" Trinity cried out, her blond bun bobbing on her head as she yelled. "You've brought ruin and woes to this house and this family!"

"I should have known you'd be just like your vile mother!" Vaughn yelled. "I should have never taken you in!"

"You're kicking me out?" Della gasped. "But I'm your daughter!"

"You are no daughter of mine!" Vaughn hollered. "You are nothing but a mistake!"

Then Vaughn took another step forward and pushed Della with all his might. The breath left her lungs and she stumbled back, out the open window and into the early night air, ten stories above the ground.


	11. A Visit & A Relization

Chapter Eleven

A Visit & A Realization

Della screamed as she fell, her skirt flipping up and her hair blowing in the wind as she fell. Above her, Vaughn watched as she fell, no remorse on his face. That's when Della realized that though Vaughn had given her life, he wasn't her father.

Desperate and paranoid, Della began to search in the bag at her hip for something. Her thin fingers found one of the two remaining vials. Praying to every god she knew, Della threw one of them below her. As soon as the vial broke against the ground, a giant red tulip sprouted out from the ground and rose faster than Della was falling. The bloom caught her and she landed, unharmed.

Above her, watching from the window, Vaughn was yelling about the Devil's work. Della heard him yell for a servant to bring him his sword, claiming he was going to kill the sorceress.

Now fearing for her life, Della climbed out of the bloom and slid down the tulip's long green stem and landed softly on the ground. Picking up her skirts, she ran towards the dirt road that led away from the manor.

But she paused when she felt eyes on her and turned to look at the window. Koby and Avery were staring out of it, their eyes sad. Della was as well, so much so that she had tears in her eyes. Though Vaughn wasn't her father, those boys were still her brothers. But she couldn't save them now. So Della raised a pale hand, shining in the light of the rising moon, and waved goodbye. Then she ran down the road lined with trees, disappearing into the shadows.

* * *

When Della could run no more, she veered off the road and into the trees. She pushed bushes aside and climbed over rocks until she reached a small clearing with fruit bushes and a soft patch of dirt. Sad and alone, Della sat down. Not knowing or caring if the berries were poisonous, she nibble at some though her appetite didn't exist.

After a while, tears started to fall down Della's face as she spiraled deep into her thoughts and worries.

What was she going to do now? She had nowhere to go. Her mother was dead, her great-uncle only wanted to use her, and her father wanted her dead. She had nothing. Now she was just a beggar, stuck in a kingdom that she didn't know anything about, miserable and alone.

The longer she cried, the worst she felt. But then one single tear fell from her hazel eye and landed on the red gem of her amulet. It began to sparkle and glow. Confused, Della held it and tried to think what new power or curse the amulet was going to give her.

"Something wrong?" a voice asked from behind her.

Nearly jumping out of her skin, Della whirled around. Behind her was a young woman, about her age, with dark skin the color of hot chocolate and dark curly hair. Her big eyes were kind and Della loved her outfit that consisted of a tan skirt made with varying lengths of fabric, held up by a red fabric belt that was also the same fabric that made up her top which showed off her slim belly. And around her neck was a blue necklace made from shells. But the most curious thing about her was she seemed to glow with a warm red light.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Della demanded, taking a step back. Her time away from the palace had taught her to be cautious of strangers.

"My name's Moana," the woman answered. "And I'm here to help you."

* * *

"Sofia!" Hugo called to her as they flew through the air. "We can't fly in the dark!"

The sun had sank and now the moon was rising. Hugo could barely see his wife and knew the horses could see even less. It was dangerous and they needed to land. But Sofia was determined and ignored him.

"Sofia!" Hugo tried again. "We need to land! It's not safe!"

"I'm not stopping until I find her!" Sofia shouted back and flicked her horse's reins, making her go faster.

"We can't find her if we're dead or injured somewhere in the woods!" Hugo protested. Sofia thought for a moment before she dove down to the ground. Thankful, Hugo followed.

The pair landed softly near a large village. Even from outside the town they could hear the shouts and laughter of people at the pub. Sofia and Hugo slid off of their horses and approached the town, searching for an inn.

After finding one and storing their horses in the stables of the inn, the two of them went to the room they had rented for the night. It had a double bed with a lumpy mattress and a pile of thin blankets. A wooden dresser with a dusty mirror stood against the wall across from the bed and window covered by tan curtains was on the wall opposite the door.

Sofia pulled off her black boots and dark purple jacket. Then she fell onto the bed, exhausted. Hugo, began undoing his boots as well and pulled off his red and black striped riding vest, leaving himself in a white undershirt, black pants, and white socks. His dark eyes drifted to his wife who was wearing her dark purple pants, white socks, and light purple undershirt, her brown hair sprawled across her pillow.

"We'll find her," Hugo promised.

Sofia turned over so she could face Hugo who had laid down next to her. Their hands found each other's and for a few moments they just enjoyed each other's close company.

"I'm just worried that when we find her she won't want to come back," Sofia admitted. "We lied to her and everyone else for eighteen years. We kept the truth from her. And, if I was her, I don't know if I'd want to come back."

"If she doesn't want to come back then we'll just make sure she knows we love her," Hugo insisted. "We'll explain everything. And I know that if we can make her understand, show that she _is_ our daughter, then she'll come home."

"She isn't even going by the name we gave her!" Sofia exclaimed. "She's running from _us_ , Hugo! And I don't think she wants to be found."

"I think she's trying to find who she is," Hugo said after he thought for a moment. "Who she wants to be."

"And what if who she wants to be doesn't involve us?" Sofia wondered, tears in her blue eyes. "What then?"

"I….I don't know," Hugo sighed, stroking his wife's hand.

After that they fell into silence and, eventually, sleep.

* * *

"What do you mean, you're here to help?" Della wondered. "How did you even find me?"

"Your amulet summoned me," Moana explained. "It summons a princess whenever you're in distress."

"Cedric never told me that," Della muttered, looking at the red gem. "So what are you going to help me with?"

"Whatever you need help with," Moana replied. "So, what's wrong?"

"I….I don't know what to do," Della sighed and leaned against a tree. Moana walked closer and placed a hand on Della's shoulder. "I was looking for my family but nothing's worked."

"What else were you looking for?" Moana asked.

"What do you mean?" Della inquired

"I know you didn't run away just to find your family," Moana told her. "What else are you looking for?"

"I guess….I was looking for myself," Della answered. "For who I am."

"And who are you?"

"I'm the daughter of a sorceress who thought she'd found love, only to be used and shunned. I'm the daughter of a knight who abuses his children and wants to kill me. I'm the great-niece of a man who wants only power. I'm a girl who isn't wanted anywhere. I'm a mistake."

"I don't think so."

"But that's who I am! I'm just a mistake. I'm a beggar, unwanted by everyone."

"That isn't true."

"What are you talking about?" Della inquired, confused.

"Haven't you heard? Sofia and Hugo are looking for you," Moana told her.

"They just want their princess back," Della muttered. "An heir to their kingdom. And I'm not that girl."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Why?"

"Because your amulet," Moana started, tapping the gem, "connects every princess who ever was, whoever wore that amulet."

"But I'm not a princess. Can't the amulet give powers to people who aren't princesses?"

"Yes. But it can only send me to another princess," Moana said

Silence as Della thought.

"Hugo and Sofia," she said finally. "They aren't looking for me because they just want their princess back, are they?"

"No."

"They're want their daughter back," Della realized. "But she died. I was just a replacement."

"When are you going to realize that you are _not_ that," Moana sighed. "They raised you and love you. To them, you are their daughter and will always. It doesn't matter what blood runs in your veins. You three _are_ a family."

"Even if I don't know who I am?"

"You know who you are," Moana insisted. "You've gone by many names throughout your journey, trying to find out who you are. But you _do_ know who you are."

"I'm not Matilda, the princess who never took a breath," the black haired girl thought. "I'm not Tilly, the whimsical daughter Sofia never got. I'm not Tilda, the demanding princess. I'm not Maddie, an orphan trying to find her parents. I'm not Celeste, the orphan daughter of Calista the Capricious. And I'm not Della, the peasant girl who's trying to earn the love of her father."

"So who are you?" Moana asked again, her voice hushed and calm.

The girl with two black braids held up her hands, watching her fingertips sparkle with a golden light. She remembered all she had learned about kindness and charity on her journey and realized what Sofia had been trying to teach her for all those years. She remembered how much Sofia had cared for her and loved her. And how Hugo had taught her to ride a horse and fight with a sword. How much he had loved her too.

"I am the daughter of Queen Sofia and King Hugo," she declared, standing straight. "I am the princess of Amalgamate, the heir to the throne. I am Sirona. _Princess_ Sirona."

" _Healer_ ," Moana added, knowing the meaning of the name. She smiled at the princess's sparkling fingers and nodded. "Now what are you going to do?"

"I need to go home," Sirona realized. Moana nodded and smiled. "But first, there something else I must do."

"And I know you'll do it well," Moana said. "Because you know who you are."

And with that, Moana disappeared in a shimmer of red sparkles. Empowered, Sirona reached into the bag at her hip and pulled out her birth mother's wand. She tried to remember some spells from Royal Prep while she ran back to a dark manor she had run from not too long ago.


	12. A Rescue & A Reunion

Chapter Twelve

A Rescue & A Reunion

The night was darkening, signaling that dawn was about to break. Sirona saw that the giant flower she had left behind was cut down. But she knew all the servants entrances so she crept to a dark corner of the outside manor and opened a thin wooden door, dashing up the stairs. Finally, she reached the entrance to the boys' tower. Taking the steps two at a time, Sirona ran up as fast as she could. At the top, outside the door, was a dirty blond hair boy with his little brother, the one with darker hair. Avery and Koby. Smiling, Sirona ran up to them. The minute they saw her they smiled and hugged her.

"You came back!" Koby exclaimed, not letting go of her legs.

"Pa told us you were an evil enchantress but we didn't believe him!" Avery added. "We knew you'd come back, Maddie!"

"Actually, my name's Sirona," she told the boys. They gave her confused looks, their round heads tilted to the side. "Your father lied to you."

"He did?" Koby wondered.

"And he failed to tell you who I am," Sirona continued. "I'm actually his biological daughter."

"So that makes you….," Avery gasped. Sirona nodded.

"Your sister," she finished for them. Koby's smile grew even wider. Sirona worried that if he got any happier he would split his face in two. "And I'm going back to my home. I'm hoping you'll come with me."

"What about Pa?" Avery asked.

"You don't have to come," Sirona told him. "Only if you want to. But I don't want you growing up in a home where your father thinks loving you is beating you up."

"What about Riley?" Koby wondered.

"I can heal him," Sirona replied and help up her hand, fingertips glittering gold. "It's a long story but I've been gifted the power of healing. I can make him better."

"Where is your home?" Avery inquired.

"My parents are Queen Sofia and King Hugo," Sirona answered. "They adopted me a while ago and I'm their daughter. We live in the palace of Amalgamate."

"A palace!" Koby gaped, even more excited.

"So will you come?" Sirona asked.

The two boys looked at each other, their light and dark gray eyes clashing. Finally they turned back to their big sister and nodded. Sirona grinned and hugged them. But then the door to the boys' room crashed open and Vaughn came out.

"Get away from my sons!" he roared when he saw her. He yanked the boys back and threw them to the ground behind him. Sirona fell forward, hands and knees on the ground. She looked up at the man that was making her brothers tremble and glared at him.

"No," she responded, standing up. "They are my brothers and they are coming with me. They will not live with you and your evil any longer. Now step aside. I would like to see my littlest brother."

"Riley?" Vaughn laughed. "He's dead. You're too late! And because he died, Trinity jumped from the roof, sick with grief."

"Mama's dead?" Koby whimpered. Vaughn whirled around and hit the five year old in the face and he fell to the ground, blood spurting from his nose.

"Shut up!" Vaughn yelled, his breath smelling strongly of beer, and turned back to Sirona who had pulled out Calista's wand and was pointing it at Vaughn's heart.

"You really shouldn't have done that," she hissed.

"You're just like your mother!" Vaughn shot back. "A vile woman who thinks she can do anything with just a wave of her wand!"

"Well," Sirona said. "It's a good thing I'm not her daughter. I'm the daughter of Sofia and Hugo."

And Sirona threw the last vial from her bag at Vaughn. The glass shattered and, in a puff of smoke, Vaughn collapsed. Fearing what she had done, Sirona checked for a heartbeat, relieved when she found one. He was just unconscious.

"Will he be okay?" Avery wondered. Despite everything, he still cared about his father.

"Yes," Sirona promised. "He'll be fine. Now, let's get out of here. Let's go home."

* * *

As the sun began to rose, Sofia and Hugo's horses landed at Sir Vaughn's manor. The two of them quickly ran up the stone steps and knocked on the door. After some yelling and scuffling from the inside, a pudgy man with greasy hair and red skin opened the door.

"Sir Vaughn," Hugo greeted him, holding out his hand. Vaughn just glared at him. "I'm King Hugo of Amalgamate and my wife and I are looking for our daughter. She goes by Celeste now and has black hair with white streaks. Have you seen her?"

"Have I seen her?" Vaughn exclaimed. "She just kidnapped my two eldest sons and killed my youngest. My wife was so distraught that she just jumped off our roof and killed herself!"

"That's terrible," Sofia gasped.

"And it's your daughter's fault!" Vaughn screamed. He raced forward, fists raised. Sofia ducked and stepped back while Hugo raced forward and subdued the knight.

"Servants!" he called into the manor. "Please, lend me a hand!"

A few maids and a stable boy ran out and helped Hugo wrangle the knight into the parlor, a lavish room with portraits of the family and silk seats, a grand fireplace on one wall and tall window on another. Hugo tied Vaughn's wrists together then set him on a cushy sky blue sofa. Sofia was still breathing hard, her heart pumping, as she sat on a pale pink chair, slippery due to the silk covered cushions.

"Now, Sir Vaughn, may I ask why you nearly hit my wife?" Hugo demanded, barely keeping him temper in check. Sofia stood and placed a hand on Hugo to calm him.

"I'm fine," she told him then turned to Vaughn. "You said our daughter was here. Where is she now?"

"Don't know," Vaughn bit out, his bitterness and anger evident. "But she has my boys so she's probably on the run from the law now. Bet she won't last a day out in the woods."

"Let's go," Hugo said to Sofia and they left the manor, asking the servants to untie Vaughn in a few minutes so they could get a head start in case he tried to chase them.

After Sofia and Hugo were on their horses and in the air, the two began to fly over the woods near the manor, searching for their daughter. But they couldn't see anything but green.

"Oh, where would she go?" Sofia moaned.

"She doesn't _have_ anywhere to go," Hugo replied. "She's run out of places to run to."

"Well then maybe she's gone to the only place she can," Sofia gasped. "Maybe she went home."

"It's worth a shot," Hugo agreed. "But I don't think she'll be there. The last time we saw her…."

"But she may have changed her mind," Sofia insisted. "Hugo, it's the only shot we've got. I say we take it."

"Alright then," Hugo said. "Let's go home."

* * *

Sirona led her brothers to the docks and she fastened a harness so they could hold onto her while she held onto a ship and stood on the water. They quickly grabbed onto a ship headed to Amalgamate and, all morning, rode the waves towards home.

Finally, they reached Amalgamate. Sirona, Avery, and Koby searched for a family or a cart to take them to the palace but found none. Not one to be deterred, Sirona left the market place of the docks and ventured into the village, searching the homes for carts or coaches she could borrow. And at the end of a deserted lane she found one. But a black flag was blowing over the house, signaling that the plague had hit. Sirona sucked in a breath as she remembered the epidemic. The plague was worse here than it had been in Zumaria.

So Sirona knocked on the door, but not after telling Koby and Avery to stay as far from the house as they could without leaving her line of sight. A tired man in all brown clothing with dull eyes and sun bleached hair greeted her.

"Hello, sir," Sirona greeted him. "I couldn't help but notice the flag. Please, I'm a healer. I can heal whoever is sick, if you'll only lend us your cart and perhaps a horse or a donkey to pull it."

"If you can truly heal my wife and daughter then I'll give you my whole house," the man replied and led Sirona into the one room home.

A wide wooden bed covered in sweaty blankets stood in the middle of the room, a fireplace on the one wall, a pot of some smelly soup bubbling over the flames. The floor was filthy with dust and a forgotten broom lay in a corner. All the family's few possessions were pushed to the side and on the bed lay a woman with blond hair that was quickly greying. She was as thin as twig, her sweaty skin covered in a red and blue rash. Next to her, just as sick, lay her daughter, a young girl with blond hair, about ten years of age.

The man stayed back while Sirona walked forward, determined. Her fingertips shimmered with a golden light and she ran her hands over the two females' skin. Within moments, their rashes had disappeared and they were healed. The two women gasped and began to cry, thanking her profusely.

"What's your name, miss?" the woman asked.

"I'm Sirona, the daughter of Queen Sofia and King Hugo," she replied.

"But I thought the princess's name was Tilda?" the little girl wondered.

"That was my name," Sirona agreed. "But that's not who I am. I'm a healer."

"Thank you so much!" the man exclaimed, rushing forward to hug his wife and daughter. "My cart is yours. I have a horse that can pull it, though she's a little underfed and is quite old so she doesn't go very fast."

"That's fine," Sirona said. "Thank you so much."

So the man went out and hooked up the skinny gray horse with a yellow mane to his small wooden cart that had one seat for a driver and a small section for passengers. Sirona thanked him while he thanked her. Then Sirona called Avery and Koby over. They all got into the cart and started towards the palace.

* * *

The sun was setting by the time Sirona, Avery, and Koby arrived at the palace. Sirona drove the cart up to the tall golden gates that guarded her home and two guards in ice blue jackets with tall spears came up to her.

"Name?" the one guard demanded.

"Princess Sirona," she responded, holding her head up high despite her rags and dirty face. "And these are my brothers, Avery and Koby. We need to see Sofia and Hugo. It's urgent."

"Well, you're in luck," the other guard said. "The King and Queen just got back home a few moments ago. We'll tell them you're here."

"You can leave your cart here," the first guard instructed. "And I will show you three to the throne room."

So Sirona hopped down from her seat then lifted the boys out of the back of the cart. The first guard led them up a familiar stone path, past the lake surrounded by blooming flowers and into the white and gold castle. Down regal halls they went till they reached the throne room. The large circular room had a domed ceiling painted with stars. Many copies of the Amalgamate flag hung on the wall and the floor was made with white marble tiles that glittered with gold. And, on a raised dais in the middle of the room, were three thrones facing the doors Sirona had just entered from. The King's throne stood on the right, painted gold covered with ice blue cushions. The Queen's throne was delicate and painted gold as well, though it was more feminine with embroidered cushions and the throne's wood curling.

But in the middle was a throne Sirona recognized. Painted gold, smaller than the other chairs, its ice blue cushions embroidered with red flowers, was her throne. It was the seat she had sat in when learning to rule. Sirona had to admit, she was surprised her parents hadn't removed the throne. She thought they would have when she'd run away. But she supposed that meant they hadn't given up.

Sirona didn't have time to think about it for long. Because, just then, the side door opened and in came Sofia and Hugo, still in their riding clothes. Sofia's hair was full of knots and Hugo's shirt was untucked, his cheeks covered in stubble. But they were there. Her parents.

Sirona stumbled forward, tears rushing to her eyes. How could she have been so foolish to run away? How could she have been so stupid?

And then Sofia and Hugo looked at her and their eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. Sofia clapped her hand to her mouth to stifle a sob and Hugo rushed forward. He grabbed Sirona and swung her around, laughing and crying. Sirona hugged him tight and let her own tears fall.

"If you ever do something like that again," Hugo said as he put her down. "You'll be grounded forever."

Sirona laughed and turned to her mother who had ran up to join them. The two of them embraced, both crying. With a start, Sirona realized she was taller than her mother. Had she always been or did she grow on her journey?

"I missed you so much," Sofia sobbed, taking her daughters face in her hands, blue eyes meeting hazel ones.

"I missed you too," Sirona told her, realizing that she had. She hadn't just missed palace life, she'd missed _them_. "I'm so sorry."

"No, we're the ones who need to be sorry," Sofia insisted. "We lied to you for eighteen years."

"No, you didn't," Sirona countered. "I _am_ your daughter. We _are_ a family. It doesn't matter whose blood I share. What matters is that you're my family and I love you so much."

The family embraced again, all three of them crying. As they parted, Sofia realized something was different about her daughter. She carried herself different, the light in her eyes had changed. Understanding, Sofia traced the gem of the amulet. Sirona smiled when she realized what her mother was thinking.

"You were right," she told her. "It does do amazing things."

"I'm glad you like it," Sofia said.

"Oh, and, uh, I kind of changed my name," Sirona added.

"Celeste?" Hugo wondered. "Cedric told us."

"No, I'm not the daughter of Calista," Sirona replied. "I'm your daughter. I'm a healer." She held up her sparkling fingertips and Sofia's smile widened. "I'm Sirona."

"Sirona," Sofia repeated. "What a noble name."

"Oh, and one last thing," Sirona gasped and turned around to face Avery and Koby who were hovering in the doorway, uncertain. "These are my brothers, Avery and Koby. They were being abused by their father, Sir Vaughn. I saved them."

"Well then, if they're your brothers then I guess that makes them part of the family," Sofia replied and walked forward. "Welcome. Would you two like to be part of our family?"

"Really?" Koby gasped, smiling as well. "Can we really?"

"Of course," Hugo replied, joining his wife. Sirona nodded at her brothers who both seemed overwhelmed. "You can live here and call us 'Mom' and 'Dad.'"

"You'll be loved so much," Sirona added. The boys looked at each other, smiled, and nodded. Sofia and Hugo reached out, each of them hugging one of the boys. Then Sirona joined them, her family.

* * *

 **One more chapter to go!**


	13. A Month Later

Chapter Thirteen

A Month Later

"I don't see why I have to go," Avery whined.

Sirona rolled her eyes and continued to sable her flying horse. The two of them were in the stables, a long hall with many horses. Sirona was preparing her red horse with a black mane named Regal. Sirona was wearing her riding clothes, a knee length red dress with dark embellishments on the hem and black lace on the bodice. Knee high red boots with black laces covered her feet and a dark red clock was pinned with her family crest. Her wavy black hair was flowing behind her, the white streaks fluttering in the wind. And since she was a princess she wore a golden circlet with a red gem resting over her forehead, matching the red gem of her amulet.

Avery stood outside Regal's stall, his forest green jacket with silver buttons undone, showing off his cream undershirt. His cream pants were tight against his legs and black boots with silver straps were laced up his calves. A black bag was in his hand, dragging on the floor, and his dirty blond hair was dangling across his forehead, occasionally dipping down into his gray eyes.

"Mom and Dad have let you stay at home for a month to get used to living in the palace," Sirona told him. "But now it's time for you to go."

"But what about Koby?" Avery asked. "He'll get lonely."

"Mom's taking him to Enchancia today when she discusses the trade agreement so he can hang out with Harvey," Sirona replied. "He'll be fine. And he's really excited for you."

"Well, what if the other kids don't like me?" Avery wondered, collapsing onto a hay bale. Sirona rolled her eyes again at his dramatics and led Regal out of his stall and through the door of the stables, into the bright sunshine of the early morning.

"Then that's their problem," Sirona said. "But you're a prince now and you need to go to Royal Prep to learn how to be one."

"Why can't Dad teach me?" Avery complained, dragging his feet through the green grass as he followed his big sister.

"He's busy being King," Sirona reminded him. Then she glanced at Avery, his downcast gray eyes and wringing hands, and sighed. "Look, I know it's hard. But you'll have to go eventually. The longer you wait the harder it will be. And besides, Hunter will there. Remember him from our trip to Enchancia two weeks ago? He's been dying for you to start going to school just so he can show you around."

"He has?" Avery asked, voice soft.

"Yes," Sirona told him. "So go to school. Make friends, have fun, and learn to be a good ruler. You'll do great."

"Thanks Sirona," Avery said after she finished and gave her a hug. When he backed up, he had a small smile on his face and the tension had eased from his muscles. "But do I have to take the coach? Why can't you take me?"

"Because I have at least three villages to visit today," Sirona berated him. "You know how much they count on my touch."

Ever since she come back, she had used her healing powers to stop the epidemic in Amalgamate. Though people still died from it, she was doing a lot of good and many people were desperate for her to come to their village.

"What if you drop me off on your way?" Avery suggested. Sirona just shook her head and laughed a bit.

"Don't tell Mom or Dad," she told him then climbed onto Regal. Giggling with triumph, Avery did the same.

But then Sofia came out of the stables and spoted them.

"Sirona!" she called to her daughter. The black haired girl slid off Regal and walked up to her mother. "What's Avery doing here? Shouldn't he be on his way to school?"

"I'm dropping him off on my way to the village," Sirona informed her. Sofia looked like she was going to veto the idea but then she caught sight of Avery atop Regal giving her the puppy dog eyes. Sofia smiled slightly and sighed.

"Alright," she agreed. "But before you go I want to give you something, Sirona."

And Sofia held out a leather book with crisp aged pages. Sirona took it and wiped some of the dust off the cover.

" _The History of the Palace of Amalgamate_ ," she read.

"Our home has a long and complicated history," Sofia told her and tapped the cover of the book. "Make sure to read it cover to cover. After all, knowledge is the key to everything."

"Thanks Mom," Sirona said and tucked the book into one of Regal's saddle bags. Though the book sounded very boring, she knew that not everything was as it seemed with her mother. Sirona smiled as she wondered what secrets the book held as her fingers brushed her amulet that was resting over her heart.

"Stay safe," Sofia told Sirona then reached up to hug Avery who was tapping his foot as he sat on Regal. "Have a good day."

"We will," Sirona assured her. "I love you."

"I love you too," Sofia replied and stepped back.

Then Sirona and Avery launched into the sky, headed upwards into the blue, while deep in the woods that no one knew existed, in a magical tree that hid a library, a book with a red leather cover closed as its next story keeper finished her first tale, _The Tale of the Lost Princess_.

The End


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